Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace had made no public comment on Thomas Markle Sr.’s arrest when PEOPLE published its November 14 report. Whether King Charles has privately contacted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remains unconfirmed.
Meghan’s estranged father, 82, was arrested at a senior living facility in Lakeland, Florida, on November 6 and charged with one federal count of possessing child abuse material. He denied earlier allegations of possessing such material in October.
After being released under home detention and electronic monitoring, Thomas returned to custody on November 10. Prosecutors said he removed his ankle monitor overnight, prompting another hearing about the conditions of his release.
Meghan addressed the earlier allegations in an October 23 statement, expressing concern for children who may have been harmed. She said preventing contact between her father and Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet was intended to protect them, the Associated Press reported.
Royal Biographers Differ on a Private Response
Ingrid Seward expects Charles to speak to his younger son and daughter-in-law privately. “I am sure he will. Any father would do that,” the royal biographer told PEOPLE.
Robert Hardman cited the controversy involving the former Prince Andrew as a reason for caution around an ongoing legal case. “Even a private conversation could be misconstrued,” he told the magazine.
Harry and Meghan returned to Britain with their children in August for an extended stay. ABC News reported that Charles had been informed of their plans, while a source familiar with the arrangements said the couple had no plans to resume senior royal duties.
Misan Harriman Challenges the Photo Choice
My God, leave her alone! Thanks for everyone who called this madness out!
— Misan Harriman (@misanharriman) November 12, 2026
Photographer Misan Harriman shared screenshots from the Instagram account Black British Culture on November 12. The account had challenged the images accompanying AP’s coverage of Thomas’s return to custody.
The screenshots compared two versions of an AP Threads link preview for the same story. One displayed Meghan’s portrait; a later capture showed Thomas’s booking photograph alongside a headline about his ankle monitor.
Harriman, a friend of Meghan’s, has photographed several family milestones for the Sussexes, including their 2021 pregnancy announcement and a birthday portrait of Lilibet, according to Town & Country.
The Federal Case Against Thomas Markle
The FBI investigation focused on two Los Angeles-area storage units Thomas had rented since 2008. According to the Justice Department, agents seized approximately 78 items, including slides, photographic negatives and books, containing suspected illegal material.
At the Tampa hearing, Thomas denied violating his release conditions, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Lindsay Saxe Griffin found a violation. She cited the lack of suitable housing and left open reconsideration of bond if appropriate residential arrangements could be found, according to court records reviewed by USA TODAY.
Griffin had separately ordered a psychiatric evaluation to assess his ability to understand the proceedings and assist his defense. The evaluator received additional time to complete that work. The possession charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if he is convicted.
Police Investigate the Handling of a 2019 Letter
Thomas’s first wife, Roslyn Markle, also known as Roslyn Loveless, wrote a letter containing allegations about conduct outside Britain. ITV News examined the document, which was addressed to a specialist unit within the Metropolitan Police’s Protection Command.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed receiving it in January 2019, correcting Meghan’s initial recollection of 2018. The force passed the letter to the Sussexes’ office without sharing the allegations with other law enforcement agencies. Meghan said she had been assured the claims were being investigated.
After the Met announced a voluntary referral on October 29, the Independent Office for Police Conduct agreed to investigate the decision not to alert other agencies. The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards will investigate the separate decision to forward the letter to Harry and Meghan’s office.
