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Meghan Markle 'deeply distressed' as she responds to dad Thomas being probed over huge stash of child s*x images
Meghan Markle said she was "deeply distressed" by the child sex image allegations involving her estranged father, Thomas.
Thomas Markle Snr. is under investigation for alleged possession of child pornography, according to a report released by The Sun.
The 82-year-old was reported to police by his own son, Thomas Markle Jnr., who alleged that he found the horrific images at his father's former home in the Philippines.
In a statement released to the publication, the 45-year-old spoke about the "troubling and disturbing" allegations and revealed that the claims were passed to her in 2018.
"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," she penned.
The Duchess of Sussex has been estranged from Thomas Snr. since 2018, when he was caught staging paparazzi photos in the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry.
"In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me," she wrote. "It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated."
Meghan hopes that "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," she continued. "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."
The illicit material was allegedly found in four large boxes that contained "hundreds, if not thousands" of child pornographic images.
Thomas Jr. allegedly discovered three photos of naked girls, footage of girls no older than 10 or 11 years old engaged in sexual acts, as well as a 15-minute clip of naked girls on his dad's old phone.
He told the outlet that one picture seemed to have been taken at his father’s former home in Rosarito, Mexico.
Thomas Jr. revealed that on July 10, he "reported his discovery to the FBI Hotline, the US-based National Centre for Exploited and Missing Children, and the state police in Pennsylvania where his father was living".
"When I found this material, I was horrified, and I had no option but to report my dad," he told The Sun. "I have supported, cared for him, and helped him for years - but that stops now."
Thomas Jr. has been caring for his father amid his ongoing health issues, including his 2022 stroke.
"I won’t speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him," he continued. "What I saw made me sick to the stomach - all this stuff was just dumped on me, and I didn’t know what to do.
"I knew right away it was highly illegal and would land me in jail for a long time if I didn’t get rid of it. I felt betrayed, angry, and disgusted - and realized I had to report him.”
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Thomas Snr. denied possessing child sex images.
"I’m shocked, I’m hurt, and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me. I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of," he said.
"This is bulls****. It’s just a bunch of lies. It’s sick. I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies," he added.