Meghan Markle's father faces 20 years in federal prison on child pornography charges

Thomas Markle Sr. faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography, according to a federal complaint filed Friday morning. The 82 year old was arrested in Lakeland, Florida, by federal agents in the Tampa Bay area.

The complaint alleges that Markle possessed sexually explicit images of himself with underage girls. Bill Essayli, the U.S. Attorney's Office acting chief, said the accusations are serious and the government will prosecute the case with the full weight of federal law.

The investigation began in October 2026 when authorities received a tip that suspected abuse material was found among Markle's belongings in the Philippines. Markle had been living in Cebu until early this year when a stroke and the amputation of his left leg forced him to return to the United States.

FBI agents recovered about 78 items from two storage units in the Los Angeles area. Markle had rented these units since 2008. The items included slides, film negatives, and books containing what prosecutors describe as presumed child abuse sexual material. The complaint also notes images showing Markle with minors in various states of undress.

The discovery in the Philippines was made by Markle's son, Thomas Markle Jr. The younger Markle was emptying his father's house in Cebu when he found hundreds, if not thousands, of images. He reported the findings to local police and contacted the FBI. The British tabloid The Sun first published reports of this discovery.

Meghan Markle, who has no current relationship with her father, described herself as deeply distressed by the news. She revealed that in 2018 a letter with concerning accusations about Markle was sent to London police. She said she was assured the matters were being investigated at that time.

Markle Sr. is a retired television lighting and camera director who did not attend his daughter's 2018 wedding to Prince Harry at Windsor Castle. The couple has two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The federal case is now pending in court. Prosecutors have outlined the specific items seized and the timeline of the investigation starting from the tip in October.