By Salma El-Sakka
Philippine police have discovered child sexual abuse material during an investigation into Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan Markle, at his former home in Cebu City.
Investigation details
Authorities were granted a warrant last Thursday to examine mobile phones, computer hard drives, digital storage cards and other possessions seized from the property last month. Investigators identified several files containing child sex abuse images and are working to determine who produced and owned the material and whether Mr Markle appeared in the imagery. No formal complaint has been made against him.
Family conflict
The probe began after Thomas Markle Jr. allegedly found hundreds of child sex images left behind when his father moved from the Philippines earlier this year. Markle Jr. reported the discovery to police, and Cebu regional prosecutor Graeme Elmido said he was "adamant" the case be investigated. The 82-year-old Mr Markle, who returned to the US after a stroke and leg amputation, has strongly denied the accusations, calling them a "bunch of lies" and saying he is shocked and hurt by his son's allegations. A second stash of abusive images was also reportedly found in a storage unit near his former home in Rosarito, Mexico.
Meghan Markle's response
The Duchess of Sussex, estranged from her father since 2018, said she is "deeply distressed" by the allegations. In a statement, she expressed concern for any children harmed and referenced a 2018 letter sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection that made troubling allegations against her father. She said her distance from him was to protect her own children and hoped justice would be fully served.
Police referral
The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over its handling of the allegations after admitting it passed a letter to the Sussexes without notifying other law enforcement agencies at the time. Mr Markle was reportedly moved to a specialist dementia care home in Florida on Friday.
