Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has said she is “deeply distressed” by allegations that her father Thomas Markle had child sexual abuse images.

The duchess said her thoughts were with children who may have been harmed. She revealed that a letter containing “troubling and disturbing allegations” about her father was sent to London’s Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018.

Police later shared the letter with her and told her the allegations were being investigated, she said.

Meghan linked her estrangement from her father and her decision not to let him contact her children to protecting them. “This was for one reason: to protect them,” 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,” Meghan added.

The claims surfaced after Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, said he found hundreds or possibly thousands of child sex abuse images on computers and a mobile phone stored in boxes at Thomas Markle Sr’s former home in Cebu, Philippines.

Thomas Markle (82) denied the allegations, calling them “sick lies” and “a bunch of lies”. He said the computers had not been in his possession since he left Mexico in January 2025 and suggested they could have been tampered with while stored elsewhere.

Reports say Thomas Markle Jr contacted US authorities and that Cebu police are investigating. No charges have been filed and the allegations have not been proven.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since around her May 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.

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