Meghan drops speech at EU Parliament after father charged over child abuse material

Duchess to attend but not speak

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will no longer give the speech she had planned at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, 10 November. A spokesperson for the couple told the German news agency dpa that she will still travel to the event and accompany her husband, but will not speak. Prince Harry will deliver the address alone at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, an art installation honouring children who died after being harmed online. The keynote was meant to address dangers facing young people on social media, a topic the couple has championed for some time. Harry is also due to join a panel discussion titled Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future That Works For Children, and audience members, but not journalists, may ask questions.

Father's arrest and court appearance

Thomas Markle, the 82-year-old father of the duchess, was arrested by FBI agents in the United States after they seized a large amount of material from two storage units in Los Angeles that he had leased for nearly two decades. On Friday, 6 November, he appeared in court in Tampa, Florida, where he was charged with possessing child abuse material and did not enter a plea. The judge imposed travel restrictions, he was released on bail, and he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric examination over concerns he may not understand the proceedings or be able to assist his lawyer. The US justice department said his next court appearance, in California, is not due for at least several weeks. Markle denies possessing child abuse material. Investigations have also been opened against him in the Philippines, where he lived for a period.

Reasons behind the change

The Telegraph, citing an unnamed source in the couple's circle, reported that Meghan is not emotionally strong enough to speak in public at present. The newspaper linked the decision to the allegations against her father. Stern reported that Meghan was shaken by the accusations, expressed sympathy for the alleged victims, and hinted that a long-running rift with her father is connected to the allegations. Harry and Meghan returned to Britain at the end of August with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after several years living in California. The Brussels appearance will be her first in public since the allegations surrounding Markle emerged. It is understood that Harry's speech will not refer to Markle's arrest.

Programme in Brussels

The event will hear addresses from European Parliament president Roberta Metsola and MEP Antonio López-Istúriz, who sits as first vice-chair of the Child Rights Intergroup. Harry and Meghan were originally due to share between 15 and 20 minutes of speaking time. Guests will also view the memorial exhibition, where smartphone-shaped light boxes display a lock screen photograph of a child or young person who died because of online harm. The couple first unveiled the temporary installation in New York City in 2025.