Federal Charges: Thomas Markle Arrested in Florida
The 82-year-old father of Meghan Markle faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence for possessing images of himself with minors.
By Harvey Wilson ·
Federal agents arrested Thomas Wayne Markle on Friday morning in Lakeland, Florida. The 82-year-old resident of the Tampa Bay area is accused of possessing child abuse sexual material, according to two individuals familiar with the case who spoke to The Associated Press. The arrest follows a federal complaint that details specific allegations regarding the nature of the images in his possession.
The complaint, obtained by NBC News, charges Markle with one count of possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. United States Deputy Attorney Bill Essayli stated that Markle is accused of possessing material that includes photographs of him with young girls. Essayli described the accusations as extremely serious and said prosecutors would pursue the case with the full weight of federal law.
The investigation began in October 2026. Authorities received information from a person who discovered the suspected material among Markle’s belongings in the Philippines. That person was Markle’s stepson, Thomas Markle Jr. The stepson told The Sun, a British tabloid, that he found the images while emptying his father’s former home in Cebu. He reported the discovery to the Philippine police and contacted the FBI.
FBI agents later located approximately 78 items containing the alleged material. These items included slides, photographic negatives, and books. The agents found the collection in two storage units in the Los Angeles area that Markle had rented since 2008. The federal affidavit notes that the images appear to show Markle with minors in various states of undress.
Meghan Markle, who has no relationship with her father, recently addressed the news. She described herself as deeply distressed by the reports of the collection found in her father’s former residence. She also revealed that a letter containing concerning accusations about him was sent to the London police in 2018. Markle stated that she was assured the matters were being investigated at the time.
The arrest follows a period of health complications for Markle Sr. He was living in the Philippines earlier in 2026 when he suffered a stroke and had his left leg amputated. Those medical issues forced his return to the United States. Markle is a retired television lighting and camera director who did not attend his daughter’s 2018 wedding to Prince Harry at Windsor Castle.
Markle and his wife, the former Suits actress, have two children: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The stepson told The Sun that he found hundreds, if not thousands, of images in boxes during the property clearance. He confirmed that the items were reported to law enforcement in both the Philippines and the United States.
