Meghan Markle has revealed she cut off contact with her father Thomas Sr to safeguard her children, amid an investigation into 'disturbing' accusations he collected child sex images.
asserted
he → reveal → images
Thomas Markle Sr, 82, is facing a probe by authorities in the Philippines, who have also been contacted by the FBI, after the stash was allegedly found at his home there.
uncertain
stash → face → home
The 'sickening' collection is said to include videos of girls no older than ten or 11 involved in sex acts.
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collection → say → 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.
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she → estrange → 2018
She famously cut contact with her father in the same year.
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She → cut → year
Meghan said today that news of the find had left her 'deeply distressed' and stressed it was behind her decision to never allow her father to meet Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
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father → say → Archie
She added the decision, which came after a letter handed to her by the Met's royal protection team, was made to 'safeguard' them.
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letter → add → them
It comes after her half-brother, 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.
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he → come → Philippines
Meghan's father returned to the US for health reasons and is currently receiving treatment in a rehabilitation centre after having his left leg amputated.
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leg → return → centre
He has denied owning such material and claims the accusations were 'sick lies' made up by his son, who claims he found the material at his home in Cebu province, for money.
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he → deny → money
The Duchess of Sussex on a visit to the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham last week
Prince Harry and Meghan are seen with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in 2025
Meghan and her father Thomas Sr have been estranged since 2018, the year she married Harry
Thomas Markle Jr, Meghan's brother, claimed to have found the child-abuse material packed up in boxes at his father's Philippines home
A statement from Meghan today revealed she had first been made aware of 'troubling and disturbing' allegations in 2018 – but did not give any detail as to what these referred to.
'
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these → see → what
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.
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she → distress → children
'In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection.
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letter → send → Police
That letter was subsequently shared with me.
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letter → share → me
It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.
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these → make → assurances
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.
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him → hope → them
I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.
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authorities → trust → 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.'
uncertain
priority → uncover → children
Authorities in the UK had previously told the Duchess that allegations made about her father in a 2018 letter sent to Scotland Yard and subsequently shared with her by police were being investigated, it is understood.
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it → tell → police
The Met Police said today it is investigating the claims.
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it → say → claims
It is understood the force is not, and has not, investigated Thomas Sr.
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force → understand → Sr
A Met spokesman said: 'We are aware of media reports that officers from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command were involved in the passing on of a letter in 2018.
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officers → say → 2018
We are undertaking enquiries internally in an effort to confirm this.'
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We → undertake → this
It is believed the letter was sent to Meghan in summer 2018, after her wedding to Harry.
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letter → believe → Harry
It was confirmed today that the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Philippines is examining reports involving 'an American national in his 80s' who is accused of leaving child abuse videos and photos in his home in Cebu province.
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who → confirm → 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 considering launching its own investigation after his son reported his findings to the agency.
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son → tell → agency
It is understood that the FBI has reached out to authorities in the Philippines and is poised to launch a probe in collaboration with them.
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FBI → understand → them
Thomas Sr, pictured with nurse Rio Canedo, 46, is now the subject of a child sex probe
Thomas Sr moved to a home in this apartment block in Cebu in the Philippines last year
Thomas Sr recovering in a hospital bed after surgery in the Philippines last December
Thomas Jr claims to have found the abuse material while looking through his father's boxes in July this year to find a phone for his fiancée, Rose, after Thomas Sr had returned to the US for medical treatment.
He 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.
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girls → picture → cellphone
He also claimed to have found photos of naked girls, and images depicting children as young as toddlers.
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He → claim → toddlers
He reported his findings both to the American FBI and to the US Center for Abused and Exploited Children.
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He → report → Children
This week, he took the material to local police in the city of Cebu in the Philippines.
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he → take → Philippines
A source close to the Royal Family told the Daily Mail this afternoon: 'This is a matter for the Sussex household.'
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This → tell → household
O’Bryan Grandison, Senior Lecturer in Policing at Birmingham City University with more than 30 years experience as a police officer, told the Daily Mail today that now an investigation is underway, officers will be looking to interview witnesses and identify possible victims, including through techniques such as reverse image search and looking to match photos and videos to specific properties.
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officers → tell → properties
He said it is perfectly possible for the US and FBI to investigate the allegations concerning material stored abroad as long as the Philippines has signed up to UN protocols on child exploitation.
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Philippines → say → exploitation
'In principle after the Filipino police have made contact [with the US], a dual investigation will be launched, to identify victims, witnesses and locations with a view to establishing what offences have been committed and where,' Mr Grandison said.
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Grandison → make → view
'They will also be discussing when to conduct an arrest.
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They → discuss → arrest
This is crucial in order to secure/preserve evidence and to get an early account from Thomas Markle about how he came into the possession of those photos.
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he → secure → photos
He added discussion over who leads the investigation will involve factors including which authority has a more complete case and what a potential sentence in each country would look like.
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sentence → add → country
'If a country has a more complete case or prima facie evidence for a case, which can be brought to trial expeditiously using specimen charges, then that will be the answer here, especially if a remand in custody can be secured, with a view to prevent further offences from being committed or the destruction of evidence, thereby enabling other countries to continue their investigation,' he added.
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he → have → investigation
On the prospect of any UK authorities becoming involved, Mr Grandison said the letter to Meghan from the Met holds little bearing.
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letter → become → bearing
…and 32 more, not listed.
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