Meghan ‘deeply distressed’ by allegation her father had child abuse images

The Duchess of Sussex has said she is “deeply distressed” by accusations her father had a hoard of child sex abuse images.

Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jnr, alleged that he had found a stash of images belonging to her father, Thomas Markle Snr, at his former home in the Philippines, the Sun reported.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Thomas Snr denied possessing child sex images, calling the accusations “sick lies”.

Authorities in the UK had previously told the Duchess that allegations made about her father in a 2018 letter sent to Scotland Yard and subsequently shared with her by police were being investigated, it is understood.

In a statement first reported by the Sun and issued to the Press Association, Meghan said: “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.

“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.

“I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.

“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.”