Meghan Markle's Father Denies Child Sexual Abuse Image Allegations as Philippine Police Examine Laptop

Thomas Markle Sr. has denied claims that he kept images of child sexual abuse. He is the father of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex. Philippine police are checking a laptop from his former home in Cebu. Jonvic Remulla, the interior minister, said results would come within a week.

Officers went through the house after a tip from Markle Sr's son, Thomas Markle Jr. Remulla said they found child abuse material there and would ask police forces abroad to help find Markle Sr. In a forensic check, experts searched a computer to identify what files it held and when they were saved.

How the Son's Report Reached Investigators

Markle Jr told The Sun he found the images in boxes at his father's old home, after the pair moved to the Philippines in 2025. Markle Jr says he took the find to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI said in a statement that it was 'aware of the allegations' and would support Philippine authorities where appropriate. A timeline below shows each step.

Remulla gave his account to the news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) in a text late on Saturday 24 October. The laptop is 'currently going under forensic investigation,' he wrote. Manila and Washington signed an extradition treaty in 1994, and it took effect in 1996. Remulla did not say whether Manila would use it. He said any charge depends on what the evidence shows, and gave no count of the items.

Why London's Police Force Is Reviewing a 2019 Letter

London's Metropolitan Police says it received a letter in January 2019 alleging that Markle Sr broke the law outside the UK. The letter went to the police unit that guards senior royals. Officers sent it on to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's office but shared it with no other police force or agency. The Met is now reviewing how it handled it and weighing a referral to the police watchdog.

Meghan said on Friday 23 October that she was 'deeply distressed' by the claims. She said a letter containing troubling allegations against her father had been shared with her, and that she kept him from her children to protect them. Her spokesperson accepted the Met's records showing it received the letter in January 2019. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Markle Sr called the claims 'a bunch of lies' and said he would welcome an inquiry. His daughter Samantha Markle has also backed him.

What Happens After the Results Arrive

In the Philippines, Republic Act 11930, a 2022 law, makes it a crime to keep child sexual abuse material, even offline. The FBI will also look into any related claim of a US federal crime. The PNP and the FBI have not given a decision date on charges.

Meghan and her father fell out in 2018, the year she married Prince Harry at Windsor Castle. He is now 82. Markle Jr., who sided with his father for years, said sorry to Meghan in a newspaper interview on Saturday. One week after Remulla's message, the results are expected around Saturday, 31 October.