Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan Markle, was arrested in Lakeland, Florida, on November 6, 2026, and charged with possessing prohibited images involving children. The Justice Department’s criminal complaint concerns material recovered from two storage units in the Los Angeles area.
Markle, 82, denied the allegations in an October 23 interview with the Daily Mail, describing them as “sick lies,” according to ABC News. The network said it could not reach him for comment after his arrest.
He appeared in federal court in Tampa later that day and was released under home detention and electronic monitoring, Reuters reported. He did not enter a plea.
Meghan’s spokesperson declined to comment to ABC News on Friday. She had addressed the earlier reports about her father in a public statement two weeks before his arrest.
FBI Searches Focused on Two California Storage Units
Investigators learned in October that a witness had signed a sworn statement describing suspected prohibited material among Markle’s belongings in the Philippines. A second person identified a California storage location, while further information from the first witness led agents to another unit.
The federal complaint records search warrants issued on October 30 and November 4. Agents seized approximately 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books. Prosecutors allege that a witness identified Markle in some of the recovered images.
Rental records cited in the FBI affidavit indicate that both units had been rented since 2008, with automatic payments continuing in October. Investigators also reported finding boxes, mail and an international driver’s permit bearing his name.
The single possession charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if he is convicted. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Judge Orders an Evaluation of Markle’s Ability to Participate in the Case
The judge ordered a psychiatric examination to assess whether Markle can understand the proceedings and assist his attorney, according to the Associated Press. He was permitted to return to a senior care facility under the conditions of his release.
Those conditions also prohibit contact with minors and the use of internet-connected devices, ITV News reported. Prosecutors said that appearance could be several weeks away.
Separate Investigations Continue in the Philippines and Mexico
Thomas Markle Jr. told The Sun that he discovered suspected prohibited material among his father’s belongings in Cebu City and reported it to Philippine police and the FBI. The Philippine Department of Justice subsequently confirmed to ABC News that a task force in Cebu was investigating.
In a November 7 report, ITV News said Philippine prosecutors could bring a separate case as early as Monday, November 9, pending verification that phones examined during the investigation belonged to Markle. Earlier reporting from ITV News explained that Philippine officials had asked the FBI to assist with those ownership checks.
Mexican authorities also searched a storage location linked to Markle in late October. Azteca Noticias reported that magazines and VHS tapes were secured for examination and referred to federal investigators.
Meghan’s Earlier Statement Raised Questions About a Police Letter
In her earlier statement, Meghan said she was “deeply distressed” and expressed concern for any children who might have been harmed. She said her decision to prevent contact between her father and her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, was intended to protect them.
She also described a letter containing allegations against her father that British police had passed to her office. Meghan recalled the warning as dating to 2018, but police records placed its receipt in January 2019.
As Wealth of Geeks previously reported, the Metropolitan Police initially shared the letter with the couple’s office rather than other law enforcement agencies. Meghan’s representative subsequently accepted the police’s time-stamped record as the accurate date.
On October 29, the Met announced that it had referred its handling of the letter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The force also said referrals to relevant overseas agencies were underway.
An update to the Metropolitan Police statement says the watchdog will independently investigate the decision not to inform other law enforcement agencies. The Met’s internal standards unit will examine the decision to pass the letter to the couple’s office.