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

The letter, sent in 2025, marked a definitive end to a deeply troubled relationship that had been estranged since 2018, when Markle withdrew from his daughter’s royal wedding citing ill health. The communication reportedly detailed Meghan’s distress over disturbing allegations concerning her father.

Details from the letter, initially reported by The Sun on Sunday, suggest Meghan explicitly stated that her father would not meet his grandchildren, Archie and Lillibet, and that she would cease all contact. She also informed him that authorities were aware of the claims made against him.

These developments come amid investigations by Philippines officials into allegations concerning Thomas Markle. The country's anti-human trafficking and child sexual exploitation task force is reportedly investigating the matter, with national police having secured Markle's computer for a digital forensic examination.

Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., claimed to have found a stash of images, including alleged child abuse videos and pictures, at their father's former home in the Philippines. He reportedly contacted the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in July, and the FBI has since confirmed awareness of the allegations.

Thomas Markle, who resides in the US, has denied all allegations of abuse and possessing child abuse images. He has acknowledged paying for sex in the Philippines during past visits but denies sleeping with underage girls. The FBI is reportedly aware of the allegations surfaced by Markle Jr.

In 2019, the Metropolitan Police in the UK confirmed receiving a letter 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 forward its contents to other law enforcement agencies. The Met is currently reviewing its handling of the matter.

Thomas Markle Jr. recently apologized to Meghan in an interview, stating he had been "protecting the wrong person for the past nine years." His comments followed a statement by Meghan on Friday, where she revealed the existence of the letter, expressing her deep distress over its contents and her thoughts being with any potential victims.