Meghan Markle reacts to ‘sickening’ child pornography allegations against father: ‘I am deeply distressed’

Joey NolfiFri, October 23, 2026 at 1:35 PM UTC

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Meghan Markle and estranged father Thomas Markle Sr.Credit: Astrida Valigorsky/Getty; ITV/ShutterstockKey Points -

Meghan Markle has addressed child pornography allegations against her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr.

The Duchess of Sussex called the claims “troubling and disturbing.” Her father has vehemently denied the allegations.

“Any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children,” she added.

Meghan Markle has addressed “troubling and disturbing” child pornography allegations against her father, Thomas Markle Sr.

The former Suits actress and Duchess of Sussex released a statement Friday after British publication The Sun reported that an investigation had been opened over her estranged dad’s alleged possession of a “huge stash” of child pornography. Per the publication, his son and Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., claimed to have discovered the materials and said he reported the allegations to the FBI Hotline, the U.S.-based National Center for Exploited and Missing Children, and state police. The Sun reported that the FBI “confirmed receipt” of Thomas Jr.’s affidavit is “set to launch their own probe,” and that an agent contacted the investigators involved in the Philippines, where Thomas Sr. previously lived.

“I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,” Meghan said in a statement obtained by Entertainment Weekly.

Meghan MarkleCredit: Leigh Vogel/Getty

“In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” she continued.

“I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them,” she said. “I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.”

Meghan finished her statement by lamenting “the breadth of what has now been uncovered” as “more sickening than one could ever imagine,” and offered that “my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.”

Fellow British publication The Daily Mail spoke with Thomas Sr. after The Sun’s bombshell report, as he recuperated in a Florida rehab center from a prior leg amputation stemming from a blood clot.

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“I’m shocked, I’m hurt, and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me. I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of,” Thomas Sr. said in response to the allegations.

He added that the allegations were “bulls---” and “a bunch of lies” about him. “I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies,” he added.

Prince Harry and Meghan MarkleCredit: Getty

Thomas Jr. alleged to authorities that he found “hundreds, if not thousands,” of child pornography images inside four boxes at his father’s home in Filipino city of Cebu, from which he was previously forced to leave after having a stroke and the aforementioned blood clot that led to his leg amputation in December 2025.

EW has reached out to the FBI and the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection for more information.

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The allegations against Thomas Sr. come amid Meghan and husband Prince Harry’s decision to return to the United Kingdom earlier this summer on the heels of reuniting with the latter’s father, King Charles. The couple, who wed in May 2018, stepped back stepped from back their royal duties and moved to the U.S. in March 2020.

Harry and Meghan, who share son Archie and daughter Lilibet Diana, lived in Montecito, Calif., for a number of years while they launched their Archewell brand and released a variety of documentary projects during their time away from the British monarchy.

on Entertainment Weekly

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