Meghan Markle ‘distressed’ over claims father had child abuse images

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)—Prince Harry's wife Meghan said Friday she was "deeply distressed" by accusations her father had possessed images of child abuse, adding she had blocked contact between him and her children over previous "troubling and disturbing" allegations. The Sun and Daily Mail newspapers reported that images had allegedly been found among her estranged father Thomas Markle's belongings at his former home in the Philippines. He denies all the claims. After the reports, Meghan revealed that in 2018 she had seen a letter sent to London's Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection making similar accusations. "It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated," she said in a statement. However, a source close to the matter said the Met Police had not and was not investigating the matter. Thomas Markle, who now reportedly lives in a rehab centre in Florida, told the Daily Mail the allegations against him were "sick lies". Harry, the second son of King Charles III and estranged brother of heir to the throne Prince William, married the former American actress at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Thomas Markle, a former TV lighting director, did not attend. The PA news agency reported the letter was seen by his daughter in mid-2018, after the wedding. "I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed," Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said in the statement. - 'Protect' - A Met Police statement said it was "undertaking enquiries internally in an effort to confirm" what the duchess said about the letter. Meanwhile in the United States, a spokesperson for the FBI said it was "aware of the allegations and will provide support, as appropriate, to the Philippine authorities". "We will also investigate any related allegations of federal violations of US law," its statement added. Meghan and Harry have two children -- Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five. The duchess said she hoped it could "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". The couple left Britain and quit royal duties in 2020 amid a royal family feud. They made an unexpected return with their children to live in the United Kingdom in August. "Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children," Meghan added. - Estranged - AFP has reached out to the police in the Philippines for a comment, as the Daily Mail said it was Thomas Markle's son, Meghan's half-brother Thomas Markle Jr, who had discovered the images and reported them to the Filipino police. Thomas Markle pulled out of Harry and Meghan's wedding due to heart surgery amid a furore after he was found to have received payment for staged paparazzi photographs. It later emerged that father and daughter remained estranged and that Markle had never met his grandchildren. In December, however, a spokesperson for Meghan said she had been in touch with her father who was in a Philippines hospital after having a leg amputated. In 2021, Meghan won a UK High Court privacy and copyright claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers over articles that reproduced parts of a "private" letter she wrote to him, asking him to stop talking to the press. The latest controversy follows a turbulent few years for the royal family, which has been hit by both scandal and ill health. In January 2023, Harry released his explosive memoir "Spare", launching repeated attacks on the royal family and airing private disputes lapped up by a global audience. Then in February 2024, Charles, now 77, revealed he was undergoing treatment for cancer. Weeks later came another blow: Catherine, Princess of Wales and wife of heir William, announced she too was being treated for cancer. She is now in remission. Most recently, police in February arrested the king's disgraced younger brother Andrew Mountbatten Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.