Thomas Markle Arrested in Florida on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges

Thomas Markle Sr., the 82-year-old estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has been arrested in the United States on a charge of possessing child sexual abuse material. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents detained Mr. Markle on Friday at an aged-care home in Florida where he was living. He was scheduled to appear in a court in Tampa.

The United States Department of Justice announced that the arrest followed the discovery of sexually explicit photographs allegedly showing Mr. Markle with prepubescent girls. According to federal officials, investigators found 78 items including photographs, film negatives, and books inside two storage units in the Los Angeles area that had been rented for nearly two decades. An affidavit described images showing a man identified as Mr. Markle alongside nude underage girls, including one photograph in a Philippine hotel room.

Investigations into Mr. Markle have spanned three countries. Officials stated that authorities learned in October that an individual signed an affidavit reporting child sex abuse material among his possessions in the Philippines. On October 23, Thomas Markle Jr. stated that he had alerted police in the Philippines after finding a collection of explicit images at their father's home. Mr. Markle had lived in Mexico until 2025 and subsequently in the Philippines until earlier this year, returning to the United States in May following a stroke and a leg amputation.

First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli stated that the allegations are extremely serious and that prosecutors intend to pursue the case to the fullest extent of federal law. FBI Director Kash Patel stated that law enforcement partners arrested Mr. Markle after an investigation confirmed his possession of the material.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, issued a statement to The New York Times in October following the initial emergence of the allegations. She stated that she first learned of allegations against her father in 2018 when a letter was sent to the London Metropolitan Police unit handling her security at the time. Expressing deep distress, the duchess stated that her thoughts were with any children who may have been harmed. She added that her decision to maintain distance from her father and prevent contact with her children was made to protect them.