ROYAL FAMILY NEWSMeghan Markle's Estranged Father Thomas Markle Reportedly Under Investigation Over Alleged Child Abuse Images Found at His Home
A large stash of child sexual abuse images was allegedly discovered in Thomas Markle's home by his son.
Oct. 22 2026, Updated 7:10 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle's estranged father, Thomas Markle, is reportedly under investigation after numerous child abuse images were discovered in his home.
Thomas Sr., 82, allegedly had a large stash of child sexual abuse images at his residence in the Philippines, which his son, Thomas Jr., discovered in four large boxes.
Meghan Markle's Father Allegedly Had 'Thousands' of Child Sexual Abuse Images
Thomas Markle allegedly left the material in his home in the Philippines.
Thomas Jr., 60, told police he found "hundreds, if not thousands" of images, according to a Thursday, October 22, report. He claimed the illegal content was left behind when his father had to leave the country in May after suffering a stroke.
Cops are reportedly investigating Thomas Sr. and preparing to seize the evidence. Thomas Jr. claimed to have contacted FBI investigators, who are believed to launch their own probe.
"An FBI agent has already requested the contact details of investigators leading the case in the Philippines," a source close to the investigation said. "Thomas Markle Sr. is a US citizen, he is currently living in the US and may be linked to alleged offences committed on US soil."
Thomas Markle Jr. Claims He Had 'No Choice' But to Report His Father
Thomas Markle Jr. claimed he won't speak to his father again unless 'called to give evidence.'
Thomas Jr. said in a statement that he was "horrified" to find the disturbing content, adding, "I had no option but to report my dad."
"I have supported, cared for him and helped him for years — but that stops now," he continued. "I won't speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him."
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'What I Saw Made Me Sick to My Stomach,' Says Thomas Markle Jr.
Meghan Markle has been estranged from her father since 2018.
Thomas Jr. explained he found the material while looking for a cellphone meant for a relative and was "disgusted" when he saw an explicit video of naked girls, appearing no older than 10 or 11.
"What I saw made me sick to the stomach — all this stuff was just dumped on me and I didn’t know what to do," he reportedly told a friend. "I knew right away it was highly illegal and would land me in jail for a long time if I didn’t get rid of it. I felt betrayed, angry and disgusted — and realized I had to report him."
Thomas Markle Jr. Was a 'Shaking Wreck' After Discovering Illegal Content
Thomas Jr. claimed the child sexual abuse material was found among home movies and Emmy Awards.
He said he reported the discovery to the FBI hotline, but after several weeks without a follow-up, he decided to check the remaining boxes. After finding three computer hard drives, he enlisted a local IT expert to help him access them.
"There was an unbelievable amount of stuff — old family home movies on VHS cassettes, books, nine mobile phones, along with the Emmy Awards he won for his TV work," Thomas Jr. claimed. "But there were also many more worrying items which I’d never seen before — old books that turned out to be full of naked little girls."
Meghan has been estranged from her father since 2018. Her husband, Prince Harry, has reportedly never met him.
