The Duchess of Sussex broke off contact with her father, Thomas Markle, last year, informing him in a letter that she and authorities were aware of abuse allegations against him concerning young girls. Sources close to the duchess revealed that Meghan warned her father he would never meet his grandchildren, Archie and Lillibet, in the correspondence.

The letter was reportedly sent to Mr. Markle, 82, while he was hospitalized in the Philippines following leg amputation surgery. The BBC understands that images of child sexual abuse were allegedly found in his former Philippine home, and UK police had informed Meghan of abuse claims against her father in 2019. Mr. Markle, who resides in the US, denies all allegations.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since 2018, the year he withdrew from her royal wedding, citing ill health. The letter, sent in 2025, appears to mark a definitive end to a long-troubled paternal relationship. The content of the letter, first reported by The Sun on Sunday, indicated Meghan's intention to cease all contact and confirmed that authorities were aware of the accusations.

Philippines officials have confirmed an investigation into the allegations surrounding Meghan's father. The country's anti-human trafficking and child sexual exploitation task force is reportedly looking into the matter, with national police having secured Mr. Markle's computer for digital forensic examination, according to Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla.

The Metropolitan Police in the UK confirmed in a statement that they received a letter in 2019 containing claims related to Meghan's father. The force shared the letter with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the time but did not pass its contents to other law enforcement agencies. The Met is now reviewing its handling of the information.

In a statement released on Friday, Mr. Markle acknowledged paying for sex in the Philippines but vehemently denied sleeping with underage girls or possessing child abuse images. He revealed the existence of the letter from Meghan, stating it contained disturbing allegations. Meghan expressed deep distress and solidarity with any potential child victims, stating her thoughts were with them and that it explained her decision to cut off contact and prevent him from seeing their children.

Meghan is the only daughter of Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland. Mr. Markle relocated to the Philippines last year after suffering a series of strokes and is reportedly now in a Florida rehabilitation center learning to walk again post-amputation. His son, Thomas Markle Jnr, claimed to have discovered a cache of child abuse videos and pictures among his father's belongings at his former Philippines residence, which he reportedly reported to the police.

The circumstances surrounding the estrangement and the allegations have been a subject of public interest for years, with Meghan's statement offering some explanation after a prolonged period of unanswered questions about her relationship with her father.