Thomas Markle arrested: Meghan Markle’s father taken into police custody; What did the FBI find against him?

Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has been arrested in Florida on charges related to child sexual abuse material, according to a report by The Associated Press (AP). The arrest comes weeks after allegations emerged that a large collection of abusive images had been found among his belongings at his former home in the Philippines. Federal agents arrested the 82-year-old near Tampa on Friday morning. The sources spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to discuss the case publicly. The development follows an investigation involving authorities in the Philippines and the United States. Markle has previously denied possessing illegal images.

Why was Thomas Markle Sr. arrested?

According to AP, Markle was arrested by federal agents in Florida on charges connected to child sexual abuse material. The exact charges and further details of the case have not yet been made public. The investigation began after his son, Thomas Markle Jr., allegedly discovered a large collection of abusive images while clearing out his father's former home in Cebu City, Philippines. Markle Jr. told The Sun that he found hundreds, possibly thousands, of images in boxes containing family belongings and electronic devices. He reported the discovery to Philippine police and contacted the FBI.

The Philippine authorities later began examining the material. According to The Guardian, the country's Interior and Local Government Secretary, Jonvic Remulla, said investigators had recovered more than 7,000 photographs and one video from devices linked to Markle Sr. However, the investigation has also widened to include Markle Jr. Philippine officials named him a person of interest after receiving information from witnesses. Remulla clarified that he was not being treated as a suspect at that stage.

What has Meghan Markle said about allegations against her father?

Meghan Markle has said she was deeply distressed by the allegations against her father. She also revealed that a letter containing troubling claims about him had been sent to London's Metropolitan Police. In a statement reported by AP, she said: "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."

Meghan and her father have been estranged since 2018. Thomas Markle did not attend her wedding to Prince Harry at Windsor Castle that year. The couple have two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Thomas Markle health and life in recent years

Thomas Markle is a retired television lighting and photography director who previously worked in the entertainment industry. He suffered a stroke and later had his left leg amputated, forcing him to leave the Philippines and return to the United States. His health problems had also led to concerns about his living arrangements. He was reportedly staying at a rehabilitation facility in Florida before his arrest.