Thomas Markle’s alcoholic ex-wife, the wayward son he ‘cut off financially’ – and how the grubbiest royal scandal in history unfolded: GUY ADAMS
Filipino police are investigating Thomas Markle Sr after his son, Thomas Jr, reported finding boxes of child sexual abuse images at his father’s home in Cebu. Markle denies the allegations, while the report has renewed public scrutiny of his family estrangements and years of fraught relations with his children.
Thomas Jr says he found hundreds or possibly thousands of images in July, in boxes moved from Mexico, and reported them to police; the article says the material has not been independently verified. The two men had moved to the Philippines in January 2025 for a fresh start, but Thomas Jr says he will have no further contact with his father except if called to give evidence. The article also recounts an earlier secretly recorded interview and disputes around Markle’s relationships and past conduct.
In short
- Police are investigating allegations reported by Thomas Markle Jr.
- Thomas Markle Sr denies the allegations.
- The report describes a long-running family estrangement.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The allegation is serious enough to warrant a police investigation, and Thomas Jr’s account that he found and reported the material should be examined carefully, with any evidence preserved and assessed independently. Given the reported scale of the images, the potential harm to children makes a thorough, impartial inquiry and appropriate protective action important.
The case against
The material has not been independently verified, and Thomas Markle denies the allegation, so it would be unfair to treat the report or his son’s account as proof of guilt. A police inquiry should establish what the boxes contained, how they came to be there and who, if anyone, was responsible, while protecting the rights and privacy of those involved.
Explained simply
Thomas Markle Sr is the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and has been estranged from her for years. His son, Thomas Jr, has also described a difficult relationship with him, including a period when he says his father cut him off financially.
The family moved to Cebu in the Philippines in January 2025, seeking a fresh start. The allegations have drawn attention to their private disputes because they involve a parent and child, and because Markle is connected to the British royal family through Meghan.