Meghan Markle 'Not Strong Enough' To Speak With Prince Harry on Child Safety After Father's Arrest, Source Says

Meghan Markle did not deliver a planned joint keynote with Prince Harry at a child safety event in Brussels on Tuesday, 10 November, after her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr, was arrested.

Harry addressed lawmakers alone as the couple attended the opening of an exhibition featuring children and young people whose deaths have been linked to online harm.

The change came after reports that the Duchess of Sussex felt unable to speak publicly amid the criminal proceedings against her father. A source told The Telegraph: 'She's just not strong enough, emotionally, to be doing any public speaking right now.'

A spokesperson confirmed before the event that Meghan would accompany her husband but would not make an address. Photographs and subsequent coverage showed her in the audience while Harry spoke. She arrived with Harry and did not comment to reporters outside the building.

Meghan Attends Brussels Memorial as Harry Speaks Alone

The engagement marked the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, a travelling installation displaying images of children and young people whose deaths have been linked to online harm. The project brings bereaved families' experiences into discussions about the responsibilities of technology companies and governments.

Harry told those gathered that children's safety should not depend on where they live. Speaking about the families he and Meghan have met, he said: 'I'm not here as an expert or a politician. I'm here as a father. My wife, as a mother.'

He urged action to prevent further tragedies, arguing that young people should be able to benefit from technology without being exposed to preventable dangers. His remarks did not directly address the allegations against Meghan's father.

The event also included a panel discussion titled 'Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future That Works For Children', which was due to examine measures to protect young people online. Organisers had indicated that audience questions would be permitted, but questions from the media would not.

What Is Known About Thomas Markle Sr's Arrest?

Thomas Markle Sr, 82, was arrested by federal agents in Florida on Friday, 6 November, and charged with one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. US prosecutors said investigators had seized suspected material from two storage units in the Los Angeles area that he had rented for years.

He appeared in federal court in Tampa later that day and did not enter a plea. He was released under electronic monitoring. Reports also said a judge ordered a psychiatric assessment amid questions about his ability to understand the proceedings and assist his lawyer.

Markle has denied the allegations. The charge is not a finding of guilt, and the case remains subject to court proceedings. A further appearance in California was not expected for several weeks, according to reports citing the US Department of Justice.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since before her 2018 wedding to Harry. She previously said she was 'deeply distressed' by allegations involving him. Reports have also described concerns about information passed to police in London in 2018; the precise history of those communications is not clear from the information available here.

At the Brussels event, Harry focused his address on families seeking stronger protections for children and on the need for technology platforms to prevent harm.

The couple's attendance and Meghan's decision not to speak were reported in the context of the proceedings against her father, but neither the event nor Harry's remarks addressed the case.