Thomas Markle investigation: Philippines probes abuse image claims

Key takeaways

• Philippine justice officials say a government task force in Cebu is investigating Thomas Markle, the 82-year-old father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, over allegations that he possessed child sexual abuse material.
• No charges have been reported. Markle has denied the claims, calling them "sick lies," according to the Daily Mail.
• Meghan said on Friday, October 23, that she was "deeply distressed" and that she had known of allegations against her father since 2018.
• London's Metropolitan Police says it is making internal enquiries into reports that its officers passed on a letter containing allegations in 2018.

Thomas Markle investigation: what happened

The Thomas Markle investigation, led by a Philippine government task force in Cebu, concerns allegations that Meghan's 82-year-old father possessed child sexual abuse material. No charges have been reported. Markle denies the claims, calling them "sick lies," the Daily Mail reported.

The allegations were first published by Britain's The Sun newspaper. According to that report, as cited by Reuters, Markle's son, Thomas Markle Jr., reported his father to authorities after saying he found material among his father's belongings.

Philippine Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty told Reuters that the Anti-Trafficking and Anti-OSAEC task force "in Cebu is currently investigating the matter." OSAEC stands for online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The state-run Philippine News Agency also reported that the Department of Justice was looking into reports about an elderly American national in Cebu, and a justice official confirmed that Markle is the subject, CBS News reported.

Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla told Reuters that Markle's son had given police evidence, including a laptop, which he said confirmed details in The Sun's report. Remulla said Markle, who had lived in Cebu for some time, is believed to be back in the United States.

Thomas Markle's response

Reuters said it could not reach Markle for comment. The Daily Mail quoted him as saying he had "never downloaded anything like that in my life" and describing the allegations as "sick lies," according to CBS News. He has not been charged with any offence, and the allegations have not been tested in court.

What Meghan said

In a statement sent to CBS News and other outlets on Friday, Meghan said she was "deeply distressed" by the reports. She said she first learned of allegations in 2018, when she was shown a letter sent to the Metropolitan Police and its Royalty and Specialist Protection command, and that she had been told the claims were being investigated.

Meghan said she had kept her children, Archie and Lilibet, away from contact with her father, and that she hoped justice would be served and that children's safety would remain the priority, Reuters reported.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said the force was aware of reports that officers from its protection command were involved in passing on the 2018 letter. "We are undertaking enquiries internally in an effort to confirm this," the spokesperson said. CBS News reported that the Met is understood not to have investigated Markle and is not currently doing so.

What we know and what we don't know yet

It is not yet known whether Philippine prosecutors will file a case, whether US authorities have opened their own inquiry, or how long the task force review will take. According to the Daily Mail, as cited by CBS News, Markle Jr. said he reported the material in July to an FBI hotline, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Pennsylvania state police. Those agencies have not publicly confirmed any action.

Background

Thomas Markle, who had lived in Cebu province for some time according to Philippine officials, has been estranged from Meghan since the run-up to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, when he withdrew from the ceremony after admitting he had staged paparazzi photos. Reuters noted that Harry, Meghan and their children moved to England in August after six years in California. CBS News reported that Markle had been in the United States receiving treatment for a stroke and a blood clot when his son made the reported discovery.

The Philippines has specialised units for online child exploitation cases, and the task force handling this matter sits within the Department of Justice. For more coverage of developing international stories, see our World news hub, the latest breaking news, and trending stories.

What it means

For now, this is an investigation, not a prosecution. Philippine officials have confirmed that a task force is reviewing the allegations and evidence supplied by Markle's son, while Markle denies wrongdoing. The next milestones to watch are any statement from the Philippine Department of Justice on whether a complaint will be filed, any confirmation from US agencies, and the outcome of the Metropolitan Police's internal enquiries into how the 2018 letter was handled. Bullquill will update this story as officials release new information.

Sources

• Reuters (via KSL): Philippines investigates Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, after child sexual abuse images claims
• CBS News: Duchess Meghan says she heard "disturbing allegations" about dad in 2018, as child sex abuse image probe launched