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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly left the U.K. to stay with a friend amid allegations that her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., was in possession of photographic material depicting child sex abuse.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have taken a trip overseas with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and are spending time with close friends, Hello! reported on Monday, October 26.
“She’s just really, really upset,” Meghan’s unnamed friends told the outlet, referring to the stress associated with Thomas’ latest scandal. “She keeps on looking at Lili and she’s in tears, and thinking about all the children, the alleged victims. She has young children herself. It’s just devastating.”
News broke on Thursday, October 22, that Meghan’s estranged father, 82, is under investigation by local authorities after his son, Thomas Markle Jr., claimed to have discovered a cache of child sex abuse material (CSAM) allegedly in boxes at Thomas Sr.’s house in the Philippines, where he lived until early 2025.
UK Police Address Investigation Into Meghan Markle's Estranged Dad Thomas
According to Hello!, Meghan, 45, “decided a while ago, before this happened, that she was going to take herself away from the media and not look at anything, for her own mental health.”
The former actress’ friend told the outlet on Monday, that the allegations against Thomas Sr. have made it nearly impossible to block out the noise.
“She’s been getting sent a lot of messages from friends in the U.K. and people all over saying how sorry they are, but it’s just been an emotional rollercoaster for her,” Meghan’s pal said. “She’s in bits.”
Us has reached out to Meghan’s rep for comment.
Police Confirm Meghan Markle Received Letter Accusing Dad of Abuse
Meghan has been estranged from her father for several years, beginning in May 2018 ahead of her and Harry’s high-profile U.K. nuptials. At the time, Thomas Sr. was accused of posing for staged paparazzi photos in an attempt to benefit from his daughter’s newfound international fame and did not attend their wedding.
Thomas Sr., who shares Meghan with ex-wife Doria Ragland, has never met the couple’s son, Archie, 7, or daughter Lilibet, 5. (Thomas Sr. also shares son Thomas Jr., 60, and daughter Samantha Markle with his first wife, Rosyln Loveless.)
Despite distancing herself from her father, Meghan’s family made headlines last week after Thomas Jr. claimed he was “horrified” to discover child sex abuse material at his dad’s home, where he served as a caregiver for Thomas Sr. following his stroke in 2022.
Thomas Markle Sr. Courtesy YouTube/60 Minutes Australia“I had no option but to report my dad,” Thomas Jr. told The Sun on Thursday. “I have supported, cared for him and helped him for years — but that stops now. I won’t speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him.”
Thomas Sr., who currently resides at a nursing home in Florida, denied the allegations.
“I’m shocked, I’m hurt and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me,” he told the Daily Mail on Friday, October 23. “I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of. This is bulls***. It’s just a bunch of lies. It’s sick. I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies.”
Meghan broke her silence that same day, saying in a statement shared with Us, “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.”
Prince Harry's Past Remarks on Thomas Markle Resurface Amid Investigation
“In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me,” she explained. “It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.”
The Suits alum continued, “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. I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.”
Meghan concluded, “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.”
Thomas Markle Accused of Sexual Abuse in 2018 Letter to Police: Report
Multiple outlets later reported that Meghan sent Thomas Sr. a letter in 2025 while he was hospitalized revealing that she knew about the allegations against him. She allegedly wrote in the letter that her father would never be allowed to meet her children and she wouldn’t contact him any further.
Thomas Sr. denied ever receiving a letter from Meghan, telling The Sun on Saturday, October 24, “[Meghan] never said a word to me about this letter accusing me of such terrible things. If Meghan or anyone else had come to me in 2018 and told me about the letter, I would have had a chance to defend myself.”
He also refuted the allegations that he sexually assaulted a child. “I have never had sex with anyone under the age of 18,” Thomas Sr. told the outlet, vowing to “do whatever it takes” to clear his name.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.