Philippine minister says Meghan's half-brother is a person of interest in abuse probe

Probe widens to Markle Jr.

The investigation into Thomas Markle Sr., the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has widened to include his son. Philippine Interior Minister Juanito Victor Remulla said in Manila that Thomas Markle Jr., 60, could be involved in the suspected offences, pointing to witness statements. Investigators regard him for now only as a 'person of interest' and not as a suspect. The minister did not say what specifically led investigators to him.

Thomas Markle Sr., 82, is the focus of allegations that he kept images of child sexual abuse. In October, several media outlets reported, citing his son, that he had left a large collection of such images in his former house in Cebu province. Markle Sr., who now lives again in the United States, has rejected the allegations.

Evidence and handover

So far investigators have secured about 7,500 photos and one video showing suspected sexual abuse of minor boys and girls, the minister said. According to him, the children depicted came from Asia, Latin America and Europe, and he described the material as particularly disturbing. Markle Jr. has handed over four boxes of evidence to the authorities, including computers, mobile phones, hard drives and old video cassettes, local authorities said. Police in Cebu received a court order in the week before 5 November 2026 allowing them to examine the devices and documents. Authorities have not disclosed why the son came under scrutiny.

Meghan's reaction

Meghan, 45, said she was deeply dismayed after the reports emerged. At the end of October she said that British security services had informed her in 2018 about what she described as disturbing allegations against her father. Her statement shows she has kept her distance from him and refused him contact with their children. The articles only partly reproduce her wording, so the full scope of her position is not available from these sources.

Open questions

Several points remain unclear. The authorities have not said what evidence points to Markle Jr., and the minister's remarks about the children's origins have not been independently detailed. The case is at the investigation stage in the Philippines, and the articles report no charges against either man.