Meghan Markle cuts off father after alleging abuse claims in letter

The Duchess of Sussex ended communication with her father, Thomas Markle, in a letter sent while he was hospitalized in the Philippines after a leg amputation. The correspondence, reported by the BBC, says Meghan warned that she would not allow him to meet her children, Archie and Lillibet, and indicated that law enforcement agencies were aware of accusations of child sexual abuse against him.

According to sources close to the duchess, the letter was dispatched in 2025 and marked the conclusion of a strained relationship that began in 2018, when Markle withdrew from his daughter's royal wedding citing health issues. Philippine officials confirmed that their anti-human trafficking and child sexual exploitation task force is investigating the allegations.

Thomas Markle, who resides in the United States, has denied the accusations. In an interview with a British newspaper, he acknowledged paying for sexual services during past visits to the Philippines but rejected claims of involvement with minors or possession of abusive images.

The Metropolitan Police in London said it received a separate letter in 2019 containing similar claims and shared it with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at that time, though it did not forward the contents to other agencies. In a statement, Meghan expressed distress over the situation and said her priority was the welfare of any children who might have been harmed.

Markle, now living in a rehabilitation centre in Florida, continues to refute the allegations while his half-brother has claimed to have found a cache of images linked to their father at a former residence in the Philippines.