Meghan Markle Breaks Silence On Father Investigation In Rare Statement

Meghan Markle has broken her silence on the reported police investigation into her father, Thomas Markle, issuing a rare public statement that explains, for the first time in her own words, why she cut off contact with him eight years ago — and why he has never been allowed to meet her children.

In the statement, issued on Friday and reported by USA Today, Geo News and other outlets, the Duchess of Sussex said she was “deeply distressed” by what had come to light in the previous 24 hours, and that her thoughts were with any children who may have been harmed.

The most striking part of the Meghan Markle statement is what it reveals about 2018. The duchess said that in 2018 a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and its Royalty and Specialist Protection unit making allegations against her father. That letter, she said, was later shared with her, and it made what she described as troubling and disturbing allegations. She said she was given assurances at the time that the allegations were being investigated.

She went on to say she hopes it can now be understood that her distance from her father, and her choice not to allow him contact with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, was for one reason — in her words, “to protect them.” She said she had trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.

The duchess added that the breadth of what has now reportedly been uncovered is, in her words, “more sickening than one could ever imagine,” and said her sincerest hope is that “justice will be fully served,” with the priority remaining the safety and protection of innocent children.

The statement follows our earlier report on this site about the claims made by her half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr. As reported by The Sun, Thomas Jr. told police in the Philippines that he found a large quantity of illegal images in boxes at his father’s former home in Cebu, along with material on an old phone. He said he gave a sworn statement to Philippine police and that he had earlier reported the matter to the FBI’s tip line, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Pennsylvania state police in July. Those claims remain allegations. No charges have been announced, and the investigation reported by The Sun has not been publicly confirmed by Philippine police or the FBI.

Thomas Markle Sr. has now responded. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 82-year-old denied the allegations against him, calling them “sick lies” and saying the accusation was the worst thing anyone could accuse him of. Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, has also denied the allegations made by Thomas Jr., according to Geo News. Thomas Jr. has stood by his account in his statements to The Sun, saying that when he found the material he was horrified and had no option but to report his father.

For years, the rift between Meghan and her father was explained in public only through the events of 2018 itself. Thomas Markle Sr. did not attend his daughter’s wedding to Prince Harry at Windsor that May, saying he needed heart surgery, after it emerged he had staged paparazzi photographs. Meghan later wrote him a private letter asking him to stop speaking to the press; extracts of that letter became the subject of a court case she won against the Mail on Sunday on privacy grounds in 2021. Through all of it, neither side publicly gave the reason the duchess has now put on record.

The statement has inevitably raised questions in the coverage. Some commentators have asked why the public is only hearing this explanation now, and why a couple who spoke openly about the royal family in interviews stayed silent on this matter for so long. Supporters of the duchess answer that, on her account, the allegations were placed in the hands of the police in 2018, that she says she was assured they were being investigated, and that speaking publicly about an active police matter could have put that process at risk. The duchess herself pointed in her statement to what she called years of media distortion around the distance between her and her father.

What is not in dispute is the timeline the statement sets out: allegations made in a letter to London police in 2018, a complete break in contact that has never been repaired, and a grandfather who has never met Archie, now seven, or Lilibet, now five. Thomas Markle Sr. moved to Cebu in the Philippines in January 2025 and returned to the United States earlier this year after serious health problems, including a stroke and the amputation of his left leg.

For now, the matter rests with the authorities. There has been no announcement of any charge, no public confirmation of the investigation from the police forces named in the reporting, and Thomas Markle Sr. denies the allegations in full. This site will report any confirmed development as soon as it happens.

Key Takeaways

Meghan Markle has issued a rare statement saying she learned of allegations against her father in 2018, when a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and later shared with her.

She says her complete distance from Thomas Markle Sr., and his having no contact with Archie and Lilibet, was to protect her children.

Thomas Markle Sr. denies the allegations, calling them “sick lies,” and Samantha Markle has also denied the claims made by Thomas Markle Jr.

The claims remain allegations under reported investigation. No charges have been announced and police have not publicly confirmed the investigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Meghan Markle say in her statement about her father?
A: She said she was deeply distressed by the reports, that she first learned of allegations against her father in 2018 through a letter sent to the Metropolitan Police, and that her distance from him was to protect her children.

Q: When did Meghan Markle stop contact with Thomas Markle?
A: The break dates back to 2018, around the time of her wedding to Prince Harry, which her father did not attend. The two have not reconciled since.

Q: Has Thomas Markle responded to the allegations?
A: Yes. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he denied the allegations and called them “sick lies.” His daughter Samantha has also denied the claims made by Thomas Markle Jr.

Q: Has Thomas Markle been charged with anything?
A: No. No charges have been announced. The investigation reported by The Sun has not been publicly confirmed by Philippine police or the FBI, and the claims remain allegations.

Read More: Meghan Markle’s Father Thomas Investigated After Son’s Report To Police