Meghan Markle's father Thomas under investigation by child sex abuse task force in Philippines as FBI 'considers next steps'

Meghan Markle's father Thomas is under investigation in the Philippines by a child sex abuse task force, as the FBI is said to be considering its next steps.

Thomas Markle Sr, 82, is facing 'sickening' allegations that he possessed a horde of child sex abuse material which included videos of girls no older than ten or 11 involved in sex acts.

The Duchess of Sussex, who has been estranged from her father for years, said in a statement today that she was first made aware of accusations against him by the Met Police in 2018.

She said the recent news had left her 'deeply distressed' and stressed it was behind her decision to never allow her father to meet children Prince Archie, seven, and five-year-old Princess Lilibet 'for one reason: to protect them'.

Her father's son, Thomas Jr, made allegations overnight that he had found a large stash of child sex abuse images on computers and phones in four large storage boxes 'left behind' by Thomas Sr when he moved back to the US from the Philippines earlier this year.

The material is said to have been discovered in his home in the Philippines.

Thomas Sr said today the accusations were 'sick lies' made up by his son for money.

A specialist unit is investigating the claims in the Philippines, while the FBI has also been made aware of the allegations and is reportedly considering its own probe. 

It was confirmed today that the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Philippines is investigating reports involving 'an American national in his 80s' who is accused of leaving child abuse videos and photos in his home in Cebu province.

DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty told the Philippine News Agency that the department's Anti-Trafficking and OSAEC (online sexual abuse and exploitation of children) task force 'is currently investigating the matter'.

And the FBI in the US is also understood to be consideringlaunching its own investigation after his son also reported his findings to the agency. 

A source told the Sun: 'An FBI agent has already requested the contact details of investigators leading the case in the Philippines.

'Thomas Markle Sr is a US citizen, he is currently living in the US and may be linked to alleged offences committed on US soil.

'There is a strong precedent for cases in circumstances like this to be investigated by the FBI.'

A statement from Meghan today revealed she had first been made aware of 'troubling and disturbing' allegations in 2018. 

'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,' she said. 

'In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these 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.

'I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.

'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.'

Thomas Jr allegedly found videos of girls no older than ten or 11 years old engaged in sexual acts, as well as a 15-minute video of naked girls on his father's old cellphone. He also claimed to have found three photos of naked girls.

He said he had been looking through his father's boxes in July this year to find a phone for his fiancée, Rose. 

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail from a rehab centre in Florida where he is learning to walk again after having his left leg amputated, Thomas Sr said: '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.

'This is bulls***. It's just a bunch of lies. It's sick. I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies.'

When asked directly by the Daily Mail: 'Did you download porn onto your computers?' Thomas Sr claimed: 'Never. Never. Never. I have never done that.' 

Meghan's half-brother has had a turbulent relationship with his father in the past but left his home in Oregon in 2022 to move to Mexico, where Thomas Sr had retired.

Thomas Sr said: 'Tom came to live with me after I had a stroke. I supported him financially. I've supported him financially for most of his life. That money stopped in July this year when a family member found he had been taking money from my account.'

Thomas Jr made the first claims of finding the alleged child abuse images a few days later, both to the American FBI and to the US Center for Abused and Exploited Children. 

This week, he took the material to local police in the city of Cebu in the Philippines. 

His eldest daughter Samantha, 61, who is her father's main caregiver in Florida, also came to his defence and accused her brother of 'making up lies'. 

Meghan became estranged from her former TV lighting director father in the run-up to her 2018 royal wedding after he was caught staging paparazzi photographs.

Thomas Sr did not attend the wedding, leaving the King to accompany Meghan down the aisle and meaning the only member of her family present was her mother Doria Ragland.

Meghan was the only child of Mr Markle’s marriage to Ms Ragland, though he has two children – Samantha Markle and Thomas Jr – from an earlier marriage.