Philippine police get warrant to search devices of Meghan's father Thomas Markle Sr
Thomas Markle Sr, 82, denies allegations after his son handed four boxes of devices and material to police in Cebu; a court warrant was needed before examination.
At a glance
- Philippine police have obtained a court warrant to examine devices seized from Thomas Markle Sr's former home in Cebu.
- Thomas Markle Jr gave police four boxes including computers and phones; his father denies the allegations as 'sick lies'.
- Meghan said she was 'deeply distressed' and hoped people understood why she cut contact with her father, who is now in the US.
Police in the Philippines have obtained a court warrant to examine devices and other material seized from the former home of Thomas Markle Sr, the father of the Duchess of Sussex. The 82-year-old, who is now in the United States, has strongly denied allegations made by his son, describing them as 'sick lies'.
Reports earlier this month said hundreds of images of child sexual abuse allegedly belonging to Thomas Markle Sr had been found at the property in the Philippines. Last week, Meghan's half-brother Thomas Markle Jr handed over four boxes containing computers, phones, hard drives and old videotapes. Police in Cebu required a court warrant before examining the items.
Prosecutor: son 'adamant' case investigated
Cebu Regional Prosecutor Graeme Elmido told the BBC that Thomas Markle Jr was 'adamant' that the case should be investigated, and that he felt his father 'has to answer for it'. The Sun on Sunday reported last week that Roslyn Loveless, Thomas Markle Sr's ex-wife, had written to the Metropolitan Police about the 2019 allegations; the letter was shared with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the time.
Loveless, who has since died, was the mother of Meghan's two half-siblings. She divorced Thomas Markle Sr in 1975, before he married the duchess's mother. The duchess has been estranged from her father since 2018. The BBC understands she broke contact with him last year, telling him that she and the authorities knew he had abused young girls.
Meghan 'deeply distressed'
In a statement shared on Friday, Meghan confirmed the existence of the letter and wrote: 'I am deeply distressed... my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed.' She said she hoped it could be understood why she had largely cut off contact from her father and did 'not allow him to have contact with our children'.
Speaking to the Sun, Thomas Markle Jr also apologised to Meghan for initially siding with her father during their long-running estrangement, and said he had 'been protecting the wrong person for the past nine years'.
After suffering a series of strokes, Thomas Markle Sr moved to the Philippines last year and lived in Cebu until May. He is reportedly now living in a Florida rehabilitation centre learning to walk again after having his leg amputated.
Police say they must identify how the material was obtained before they can consider any criminal charges. Campaigners call Cebu a well-known hotspot for child sexual exploitation, and authorities say they treat such allegations very seriously.
Source: BBC World.
Questions and answers
- Why did Philippine police need a warrant to examine the devices?
- Officers in Cebu needed a court warrant before they could examine four boxes of material, including computers, phones, hard drives and videotapes, handed to them by Thomas Markle Jr.
- What has Thomas Markle Sr said about the allegations?
- He has strongly denied the allegations made by his son, describing them as 'sick lies'. He is now in the United States.
- What did Meghan say about the letter and the case?
- Meghan confirmed the letter's existence and said she was 'deeply distressed', with her thoughts with any children who may have been harmed. She hoped it was understood why she had cut off contact with her father.
