Philippine police are investigating a laptop found alongside child abuse images at the former home of Meghan Markle’s estranged father, with forensic results expected within one week.

Thomas Markle, whose daughter married Britain’s Prince Harry, lived in Cebu in the Philippines until he returned to the United States earlier this year.

Philippine Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla told AFP the country plans to take “appropriate legal actions” against Markle if investigators find sufficient evidence. Markle has denied all claims of alleged offending.

Police discover laptop and materials

“The Philippine National Police, upon the reports of the son, inspected the former home of a certain Mr Thomas Markle,” Remulla said in a text message sent late Saturday. “Found were a trove of child pornography materials as well as a laptop.”

“The laptop is currently going under forensic investigation and we will have the full results in one week,” Remulla said.

“The PNP will coordinate with their counterparts to locate and take appropriate legal actions against Mr Markle if found that there is sufficient evidence to charge him.”

British tabloid The Sun first reported last week that Markle’s son, Thomas Markle Jr, discovered the child abuse images while going through boxes found in his father’s former home.

Meghan responds to accusations

On Friday, Meghan Markle said she feels “deeply distressed” by accusations her father possessed images of child abuse. She has blocked contact between him and her children over previous “troubling and disturbing” allegations.

After the reports emerged, Meghan said she saw a letter sent to London’s Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018 making similar accusations.

“It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father, and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” she said in a statement.

Metropolitan Police response questioned

London’s Metropolitan Police said it passed on the information to the royal couple but did not share it with other law enforcement agencies.

The Sun reported on Sunday that Meghan wrote a final letter to her father last year, telling him she knows he is an abuser and that he will never meet his grandchildren.

Royal couple’s UK return

Meghan and Prince Harry left Britain and quit royal duties in 2020 amid a bitter royal family feud.

They made an unexpected return with their children to live in the United Kingdom in August.

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