Meghan Markle Silent After Father's Arrest Over Alleged Child Abuse Images: What Did She Know?

Meghan Markle has remained publicly silent following her father's arrest over alleged child sexual abuse images, seven years after police reportedly forwarded serious allegations against him to her office.

Thomas Markle Sr, 82, was arrested in Florida on Friday, 6 November 2026, following an FBI investigation into suspected abuse material. The arrest has brought renewed attention to a letter Meghan reportedly sent him in December 2025, accusing him of abusing young girls and warning that he would never meet her children.

Markle has denied the allegations, previously describing them as 'sick lies'.

Thomas Markle Arrested After FBI Seizes Suspected Abuse Images

According to the US Department of Justice, federal agents searched two Los Angeles-area storage units rented by Markle since 2008, recovering approximately 78 items containing suspected child sexual abuse material, including photographic slides, film negatives and books.

An FBI affidavit alleges that photographs depicted an adult man alongside underage girls, with a witness identifying Markle in two images. He faces one federal count of possession of child pornography, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted.

Markle appeared in federal court in Tampa on Friday and was released under electronic monitoring. He remains presumed innocent.

The arrest followed a separate investigation in the Philippines, where suspected material was reportedly discovered among his belongings.

What Did Meghan Markle Know in 2019?

According to The Times, the Metropolitan Police forwarded a letter containing allegations against Markle to the Sussexes' office in early 2019. The correspondence reportedly came from someone familiar with the family, subsequently identified in reports as Markle's first wife, Roslyn Loveless, who died in 2024.

The letter contained no photographic evidence, although The Times described the allegations as compelling. Meghan initially recalled receiving the information in 2018, but police records established that the force received the correspondence in January 2019. Her spokesperson later accepted that timeline.

Scotland Yard acknowledged that it had not passed the allegations to overseas authorities, despite the reported offences falling outside British jurisdiction. The force subsequently referred its handling of the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Meghan's Final Letter to Father Revealed

In an exclusive report published on 24 October, The Sun claimed Meghan confronted her father in writing while he was recovering from a leg amputation at a Philippine hospital in December 2025.

The newspaper reported that she accused him of sexually abusing children, said authorities were aware of his alleged conduct and made clear that he would never meet Prince Archie or Princess Lilibet.

According to The Sun, hospital staff delivered the letter directly to Markle, who signed to acknowledge receiving it. The delivery was reportedly recorded to establish that the correspondence had reached him.

The account offers new context to Meghan's estrangement from her father, particularly after she faced criticism for apparently failing to contact him during his illness.

Thomas Markle Jr Apologises After Discovering Alleged Images

Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, also apologised publicly after reportedly discovering boxes of suspected abuse material while caring for their father.

'I now know I have been protecting the wrong person for the past nine years,' he told The Sun, expressing regret for previously siding with Markle Sr during the family's disputes.

He said the discovery had changed his understanding of Meghan's decision to distance herself from their father.

Meghan previously said she was 'deeply distressed' by the allegations and had been assured they were being investigated.

While the reported correspondence indicates she knew about serious accusations before her father's arrest, there is no established evidence that she knew about the specific images later recovered by FBI investigators.