Philippine Police Secure Warrant to Examine Thomas Markle Devices

Philippine police have obtained a court warrant to examine electronic devices and other materials surrendered by Thomas Markle Jr., as authorities investigate allegations involving his father, Thomas Markle Sr., in Cebu, Philippines. The warrant allows investigators to inspect four boxes of computers, phones, hard drives and videotapes collected from the former home of Meghan Markle's father.

The BBC reported on October 29, 2026, that investigators needed judicial authorization before examining the materials. Earlier reports alleged that hundreds of images depicting child sexual abuse had been found at the property. The allegations have not been established in court, and Thomas Markle Sr. has denied wrongdoing.

Markle Jr. handed the materials to police the previous week and has pressed for an investigation, according to Cebu Regional Prosecutor Graeme Elmido, who spoke to the BBC. Authorities have said they must establish how the material was obtained before determining whether criminal charges are warranted.

Thomas Markle Sr., 82, moved to the Philippines last year after suffering a series of strokes. He lived in Cebu until May and is now reportedly receiving rehabilitation in Florida after having his leg amputated.

Markle Sr. rejected the allegations in comments to the Daily Mail, expressing shock and distress over his son's accusations.

"I'm shocked, I'm hurt, and I'm very upset that my son is making these accusations against me. I could never do what I'm being accused of. It's the worst thing anyone could accuse me of." Markle Sr. told the Daily Mail.

Meghan Markle issued a statement expressing concern for children who may have been harmed and explaining her longstanding distance from her father. She said a letter containing allegations had been sent to British police and subsequently shared with her.

"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. In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me.

It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father, and I was given assurances that these were being investigated." Meghan wrote in a statement reported by Fox News Digital.

She also addressed her decision to restrict contact between her father and her children, linking it to concerns raised by the allegations.

"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," she wrote.

Meghan added that she had trusted authorities to protect other families and expressed hope that the case would lead to justice and continued protection for children.

"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." she wrote.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that it received a letter in January 2019 containing allegations of offenses allegedly committed outside the United Kingdom. The force said the letter was reviewed and passed to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness, but its contents were not shared with other law enforcement agencies.

British police are reviewing how the letter was handled and considering whether a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the police watchdog in England and Wales, is necessary. That review concerns the force's handling of the correspondence, rather than a criminal investigation into Markle Sr.

Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed separately to the Associated Press that the Philippine National Police was investigating the allegations. Melvin Matibag, director of the Philippines' National Bureau of Investigation, also told the Associated Press that the FBI had requested assistance from his agency.

Markle Jr. also apologized to Meghan for previously supporting their father during the family's estrangement, telling the Sun that he believed he had been protecting the wrong person for the past nine years.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since 2018. The investigation remains focused on examining the seized materials and establishing their origin before authorities decide whether criminal charges are appropriate.