Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle Sr., has been arrested by the FBI after investigators reportedly discovered disturbing material involving children at properties linked to him in the Philippines and Mexico.
The 82-year-old was taken into custody on Friday, November 6, at a senior living facility in Lakeland, Florida, where he had been recovering from a leg amputation.
Meghan, 45, who has been estranged from her father since 2018, previously addressed the allegations in a statement.
“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.
The US Department of Justice confirmed that Markle has been charged with one count of possessing the aforementioned material.
Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, has been arrested for allegedly possessing adult material involving children
“Mr. Markle allegedly targeted innocent children and sought to steal their innocence through his criminal actions,” said FBI director Kash Patel.
“This FBI will use every single resource at our disposal to protect innocent kids – any predator who targets children will have zero safe haven in this country or anywhere they try to hide.”
Markle Sr., a retired television lighting director, became a familiar figure in the British press during the lead-up to Meghan’s May 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
The father and daughter had enjoyed a relationship before a public falling-out involving staged paparazzi photographs.
Markle ultimately did not attend the wedding at Windsor Castle, with King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, accompanying Meghan down the aisle.
Her mother, Doria Ragland, was the only member of her immediate family to attend.
However, Meghan revealed in October 2026 that there was another, far more disturbing reason behind her decision to distance herself from her father.
According to the duchess, a letter containing serious allegations about Markle Sr. had been sent to London’s Metropolitan Police and its Royalty and Specialist Protection Command in 2018.
The letter was reportedly written by Markle’s first wife, Roslyn Loveless, who divorced him in 1975 and passed away in 2024.
“That letter was subsequently shared with me,” Meghan explained in an October 23 statement.
“It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.”
The Metropolitan Police subsequently confirmed receiving the letter in January 2019, although it acknowledged that the information had not been forwarded to other law enforcement agencies.
Meghan said the allegations influenced her decision to prevent her father from having contact with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
“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 explained.
Meghan’s brother, Thomas Jr., discovered “unbelievable” child material among her father’s belongings
For years, Markle lived in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, where he maintained a residence and rented storage space.
He eventually relocated to Cebu, Philippines, in early 2025, where he lived with his son, Thomas Markle Jr., 60.
The move came after years of health problems, including previous strokes.
In December 2025, Markle experienced another medical emergency when circulation problems reportedly caused his left foot to turn black.
Doctors amputated his left leg below the knee in an emergency operation. His condition left him dependent on a wheelchair and requiring considerable assistance during his recovery.
He eventually returned to the United States in May 2026 to continue receiving medical treatment. But belongings he had left behind in the Philippines would soon become the center of a police investigation.
According to Thomas Jr., he was searching through his father’s possessions for a cellphone in July when he encountered something horrifying.
The material was allegedly hidden among ordinary family memorabilia, including photographs, books, old electronic devices and even Emmy Awards from his father’s television career.
Thomas Jr. said the collection contained an “unbelievable amount of stuff,” including images he believed depicted children being taken advantage of.
Some of the children allegedly appeared to be as young as 10 or 11.
“I was horrified and I had no option but to report,” he told The Sun.
Philippine authorities discovered as many as 7,500 images as Markle denied the accusations
The allegations became public in late October, bringing renewed scrutiny to Markle and his relationship with his children.
On October 23, the Philippine Department of Justice confirmed it was investigating reports involving material discovered at his former residence in Cebu.
DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said the department’s anti-trafficking and online child exploitation task force was examining the matter. Investigators subsequently obtained a court-authorized warrant on October 29 to examine electronic devices surrendered to authorities.
According to Philippine officials, the evidence included mobile phones, SD cards, computer hard drives and other storage devices.
“We were able to find that there are files consisting of several CSEAM materials,” Philippine National Police Acting Director Major General Wilson Asueta said.
Further details emerged on November 5, when Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla announced that investigators had recovered approximately 7,500 photographs and one video depicting underage children.
Remulla described the findings as among the most disturbing material he had encountered during his career.
Markle, meanwhile, vehemently denied possessing the images or engaging in any inappropriate activity with minors.
“I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of,” he told the Daily Mail in October. “It’s just a bunch of lies. It’s sick.”
He also questioned why his son had made the accusations against him.
“I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies,” he said.
His eldest daughter, Samantha Markle, 61, also came to his defense, describing the accusations as “unsubstantiated.”
“There is no merit in these disgusting allegations whatsoever and my brother is disgusting for making them up,” she told the Daily Mail.
“He wants to destroy our dad. Shame on him.”
Investigators uncovered another collection in a storage unit in Mexico
As the Philippine investigation continued, another discovery reportedly emerged thousands of miles away.
The Daily Mail obtained access to a storage unit near Markle’s former home in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, after he allegedly stopped making payments.
The unit, reportedly rented in his name in 2017, contained old belongings and electronic equipment. Journalists reported finding material, including magazines and photographs, alongside books concerning the illegal practices.
The newspaper reported the discovery to the FBI.
Mexican authorities subsequently searched the property, with investigators from the Baja California state attorney general’s office reportedly examining its contents on October 31.
The search reportedly uncovered additional electronic devices, including a computer, USB drives and VHS tapes.
Markle continued denying that any of the suspected illegal material belonged to him.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police in London faced growing questions about its earlier handling of the allegations.
Meghan’s half-brother was named a person of interest just one day before the arrest
The investigation took another unexpected turn on Thursday, November 5, when Philippine authorities announced they were also examining the possible involvement of Thomas Markle Jr.
Despite being the person who originally alerted investigators to the alleged material, the 60-year-old was named a person of interest.
Interior Secretary Remulla said witnesses had reported that underage girls were brought to a residence associated with Thomas Jr. in Cebu.
“There are indications pointing to the son’s possible involvement, but he is still a person of interest and has not been treated as a suspect,” Remulla explained.
According to the official, Thomas Jr. told investigators that the visits were connected to filming TikTok videos.
“He said they were just making TikTok videos, but we checked his TikTok account and did not find underage girls appearing in the videos,” Remulla said.
Investigators continued examining those accounts alongside the electronic evidence recovered earlier.
Authorities emphasized that Thomas Jr. was not considered a suspect at that stage.
The following morning, however, the investigation took a dramatic turn in the United States.
FBI agents arrested Thomas Markle at his Florida care home on November 6
On Friday morning, federal agents arrived at the Maravida Senior Living facility in Lakeland, Florida, where Markle was receiving care.
Footage showed Markle, wearing handcuffs, being escorted from the facility in his wheelchair. The 82-year-old kept his head lowered as an agent wheeled him toward the waiting emergency vehicle.
The precise federal charges had not been publicly detailed as of Friday (November 6) afternoon.
The duchess has not issued a new public statement specifically addressing Friday’s arrest, although her representative declined to comment when contacted by People Magazine.
Her earlier statement made clear that her primary concern remained the children potentially affected by the allegations.
“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 said.
Thomas Markle is set to appear in court later today at 18:30 GMT.
“A disgrace.” Readers wondered how the arrest will impact Meghan Markle
