Thomas Markle Sr., the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was arrested in Florida on Friday in connection with a federal investigation into the alleged possession of child sex abuse materials. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed the arrest, which had previously been reported by sources familiar with the matter.
According to the Justice Department, Markle is accused of storing child sexual abuse material in two storage units located in the Los Angeles area. He rented these units for nearly two decades. The materials allegedly included sexually explicit photographs of himself with prepubescent girls. Markle is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in Tampa, Florida, on Friday.
Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, stated that the allegations are extremely serious. He said the department intends to prosecute Markle to the fullest extent of federal law. If convicted, Markle faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The case originated from an investigation in the Philippines, where Markle was reportedly stopped by authorities last month for alleged possession of similar materials. A spokesperson for the Philippine National Police said the investigation began after Markle’s son, Thomas Markle Jr., turned over his father’s personal items to law enforcement. Markle has previously denied the claims, describing them as sick lies and stating that he had never downloaded such material in his life.
An affidavit filed in federal court details how the Philippine investigation led agents to the Los Angeles storage units, which Markle had rented since 2008. The most recent payments for both units were made last month via auto-pay. FBI agents seized 78 items from the units, including slides, film negatives, and books containing suspected abuse materials.
The affidavit notes that two of the seized images allegedly show an adult man, identified by a witness as Markle Sr., with a nude prepubescent girl. A third image allegedly depicts a nude prepubescent girl in a room that appears to be part of a Philippine motel chain. Other photos reportedly show Markle with children in various stages of undress.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement calling Markle a predator who targeted innocent children. He emphasized that the FBI will use every resource available to protect children and ensure there is no safe haven for those who target them.
In a statement sent to CBS News, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, said she had been aware of the allegations against her father since 2018. She noted that the allegations were shared with U.K. authorities at that time. The duchess explained that the information led her and Prince Harry to decide to cut off contact between their children and their maternal grandfather.
Meghan stated that the distance between her and her father was intended to protect her children, Archie and Lilibet. She said she hoped this would clarify the reasons behind her choices, despite what she described as media distortions over the years. CBS News contributor Roya Nikkah reported that sources indicate the duchess is not likely to comment further at this time.
Last year, Meghan discussed the allegations with her father in a letter delivered to his hospital room in the United States in December 2025. According to the BBC, the letter stated that she and authorities knew he had abused young girls and that he would never meet their children. CBS News has reached out to Meghan’s spokesperson for additional comment on the recent arrest.
