Thomas Markle Sr. is reportedly under investigation after his son alleged he discovered a large collection of child sexual abuse material among his father's belongings in Cebu, Philippines.
The allegations have prompted reports to authorities in the United States and the Philippines as Thomas Jr. told police he found hundreds, potentially thousands, of images in four cardboard boxes left at his father's former residence in Pennsylvania.
According to The Sun, the material was allegedly mixed with family photographs, personal keepsakes, books, mobile phones and computer equipment.
The 82-year-old Thomas Sr had reportedly left the property in May and returned to the USA after suffering a stroke and a blood clot that resulted in the amputation of his left leg.
His son said he came across the material while searching for a phone for his girlfriend's father and said the discovery left him horrified as he reported the material to the FBI, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and state police.
“When I found this material I was horrified,” Thomas Jr. told The Sun. “And I had no option but to report my dad. I have supported, cared for him and helped him for years — but that stops now. I won’t speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him.”
After receiving no reported follow-up in the weeks that followed, Thomas Jr. said he decided to examine the remaining belongings as he retrieved four boxes from storage and enlisted an IT specialist to help access three computer hard drives.
The Sun reported that the boxes contained nine mobile phones, old home movies, books and memorabilia from Thomas Sr.'s television career, but alleged further material was discovered among the books and digital files.
“There was an unbelievable amount of stuff,” Thomas Jr. is reported to have told a friend. “Old family home movies on VHS cassettes, books, nine mobile phones, along with the Emmy Awards he won for his TV work.
“But there were also many more worrying items which I’d never seen before — old books that turned out to be full of naked little girls. Then the technician helped me turn on the first hard drive and I gasped when all of the icons suddenly appeared.
“His desktop was full of row- upon-row of thumbnail pictures linking to the most sickening child abuse imaginable. The worst of the worst.”
Authorities were reportedly preparing to seize evidence as the investigation developed. Thomas Jr. also contacted US federal investigators, although the available account does not establish whether formal charges have been filed.
Whilst Meghan’s relationship with her father fractured before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, following controversy over staged paparazzi photographs and his subsequent withdrawal from the ceremony on health grounds.
Their relationship never returned to its previous state, despite Thomas Sr.'s public appeals for reconciliation and Meghan later pursued legal action after the Mail on Sunday published extracts from a private letter she had sent her father.
On October 23, Meghan said she had learned in 2018 of “troubling and disturbing allegations” concerning her father through a letter sent to the Metropolitan Police.
The Duchess of Sussex said she had been assured the allegations were being investigated and that protecting her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, remained central to her decision to maintain distance.
Thomas Markle Sr. has strongly denied possessing the alleged material. The claims remain allegations, and no guilt has been established.