Meghan Markle's father arrested in Florida over child abuse material allegations

The father of Meghan Markle, the American wife of Prince Harry, was arrested in Florida on Friday over allegations of possessing images depicting the sexual abuse of minors in the Philippines, according to British and American media reports cited by AFP.

Thomas Markle, 82, was arrested by FBI agents at a care home for elderly people in Florida, according to British newspapers The Daily Mail and The Sun, which published photographs showing him handcuffed while sitting in a wheelchair, as well as the American publication the New York Post, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

When contacted by AFP, FBI representatives had not yet commented on the matter.

Mexican authorities searched a storage unit rented by Thomas Markle as part of an investigation into the alleged possession of "child sexual abuse material", the Baja California State Prosecutor's Office announced on Monday.

Last week, Philippine police reported discovering images depicting child sexual abuse at a former residence of Thomas Markle in the Southeast Asian country.

Philippine police told AFP on Wednesday that three memory cards and a mobile phone handed over by Thomas Markle's son contained images depicting the sexual abuse of minors.

Thomas Markle lived in Mexico before moving to Cebu, a city in the Philippines, in 2025. He has since moved to the United States and has denied the allegations against him.

The Sun was the first media outlet to report in October that Thomas Markle Jr., Thomas Markle's son, had discovered images depicting the sexual abuse of minors while searching through boxes found at his father's former residence.

On October 23, Meghan said she was "deeply distressed" by the allegations concerning her father's alleged possession of child sexual abuse material. She has not seen him for several years.

She also revealed that in 2018 she had been informed about a letter sent to British police containing "disturbing allegations" against Thomas Markle. She added that her decision to distance herself from him was motivated by the need to protect her two children.

After spending six years in the United States, Meghan, Prince Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, and their two children returned to the United Kingdom at the end of August to live there.

The couple had left the UK in 2020 following a highly publicised dispute involving tensions with the British royal family. They have not been working members of the royal family since then.

Photo: Instagram/meghan