Meghan Markle Says She's 'Deeply Distressed' Over Dad Thomas Markle's Alleged Child Abuse Images Amid Investigation: 'I Hope Justice Will Be Served'

Meghan Markle spoke out after her estranged father was placed under investigation for alleged posession of child sexual abuse images.

The duchess admitted she is "deeply distressed" after the allegations against her 82-year-old father, Thomas Markle, came out on October 22.

"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," the 45-year-old said in a statement on October 23.

The allegations came after his son, Thomas Markle, Jr., found boxes of child sexual abuse material under his house in the Philippines and turned them over to the police.

However, Meghan alleged in her statement that accusations against her father date all the way back to 2018.

“In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection," she explained. "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."

Meghan has created distance between herself and her father for the last eight years, with him being notably absent from her royal wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.

"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 added. “I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.”

There are no reports that Thomas has been arrested either in the Philippines or at his current home in the United States at time of press.

"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," Meghan concluded.

Her heartfelt words came after Thomas Jr. revealed he found "hundreds, if not thousands" of images organized in four boxes after his father left the Philippines in May following a stroke. The photos allegedly featured naked girls no older than 11.

The FBI is reportedly preparing to seize the evidence overseas and probe Thomas Sr. on U.S. soil.

"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 U.S. citizen. He is currently living in the U.S. and may be linked to alleged offenses committed on U.S. soil."

His son opened up about finding the allegedly incriminating images while searching for an old cell phone for a family member, noting that he had no plans to ever speak to his father again.

"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," he said.

"I have supported, cared for him and helped him for years — but that stops now," Thomas Jr. later added. "I won't speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him."