Meghan Markle makes first public appearance since father’s arrest for child sexual abuse images

The Duchess of Sussex has made her first public appearance since her father was arrested and charged with possession child sexual abuse images.

Meghan has joined her husband Prince Harry in Brussels for an event about online child safety, but will no longer deliver a speech because she is “not strong enough emotionally”.

Both the duke and duchess had been due to give the keynote address to the European Parliament, but now Meghan will only attend the event with Harry delivering the speech solo.

It comes after her father Thomas Markle Sr appeared in court on Friday charged with possession of child abuse material.

Markle Sr, 82, was arrested by FBI agents after they seized a haul of material from two Los Angeles storage units he rented for nearly two decades.

He is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and is subject to home detention and electronic tagging following his release on bail.

Upon arriving at the event, Meghan gave no response as media shouted “Meghan, how are you feeling? How are you coping?”.

She did not look towards the press and carried on walking, while talking to one of her hosts as she made her way through the foyer.

Another member of the press asked: “Meghan, Harry, any comment on the situation?” but the Sussexes did not react.

The brief trip abroad will see Harry and Meghan, who returned to the UK in August, listen to addresses by European Parliament president Roberta Metsola and MEP Antonio Lopez-Isturiz, the first vice-chairman of the Child Rights Intergroup.

The couple were due to have between 15 and 20 minutes between them for a rare dual address to speak about the importance of children’s digital safety, but this task will now be taken on by Harry.

They will also be shown the memorial exhibition, which features smartphone-shaped light-boxes each displaying a lock screen photograph of a child or young person who died due to online harm.

Harry and Meghan previously unveiled the temporary Lost Memorial installation in New York City in 2025.

The duke will later join a panel discussion called Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future That Works For Children to discuss how to protect children online.

Questions will be permitted from the audience, but not the media.

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