Meghan Markle said Friday that she was “deeply disturbed” by allegations involving child sexual abuse material and her father, Thomas Markle Sr. She also disclosed that a similar complaint had been made eight years ago, saying it explained why she had cut him off from her family.
“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,” Markle told The Post in a statement issued shortly after reports emerged that her father was being investigated in the Philippines.
She said a letter was sent in 2018 to London’s Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection, and that the correspondence was later shared with her.
“It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” she said.
“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,” Markle added.
“I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families,” she said.
“Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” Markle said.
The alleged collection was reportedly discovered by Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., who is said to have found “hundreds if not thousands” of images in four boxes at Markle Sr.’s home in Cebu, the Philippines.
Markle Jr., 60, reported his father to authorities and also contacted the FBI, which plans to open its own investigation into Markle Sr., who currently lives in the United States, the outlet reported.
Markle Sr. has vehemently denied possessing the images, calling the allegations “sick lies.” Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, told the Mail that the claims against their father were “unsubstantiated.”
