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Prince Harry once claimed he “shouldered” the blame for wife Meghan Markle’s estrangement from her father, Thomas Markle Sr. — despite her recent revelation that she learned of disturbing allegations against him four years earlier.
The Duke of Sussex’s past remarks about the rift between Meghan and Thomas Sr. have resurfaced as authorities investigate allegations that the latter possessed child pornography.
In the couple’s 2022 Netflix docuseries, “Harry & Meghan,” Harry, now 42, described his wife’s estrangement from her father as “incredibly sad.”
“Of course it’s incredibly sad what happened. She had a father before this, and now she doesn’t have a father,” he said.
“And I shouldered that because if Meg wasn’t with me, then her dad would still be her dad.”
Meghan’s relationship with her father reportedly became strained in 2018, just days before her wedding to Harry, after Thomas Sr. was revealed to have staged paparazzi photos.
He ultimately did not attend the royal wedding that May.
However, Page Six has since confirmed that Meghan learned of the disturbing allegations against her father that summer, just weeks after the wedding.
Follow live updates on the Thomas Markle investigation for everything we know
Thomas Sr., 82, is now under investigation by the Cebu City Police Office in the Philippines after his son, Thomas Markle Jr., allegedly discovered “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sexual abuse images in his home and turned the material over to local police.
“When I found this material, I was horrified, and I had no option but to report my dad,” Thomas Jr., 60, told the Sun Thursday.
In a statement to Page Six Friday, Meghan said she was “deeply disturbed” by the investigation.
She also revealed that a letter she received in 2018 detailed similar allegations against her father, which she said she was assured “were being investigated.”
“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,” she said.
“I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.”
The Duchess of Sussex added that her “thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed” and that she hopes “justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.”
Meanwhile, Thomas Sr. has vehemently denied the allegations, describing his son’s claims as “sick lies” and telling the Daily Mail Friday, “I’m shocked, I’m hurt and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me.”
“I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of,” he added.
“This is bulls–t. It’s just a bunch of lies. It’s sick. I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies.”