Meghan Markle’s father arrested on charges related to child sexual abuse material, AP sources say

Published: Nov. 6, 2026 at 10:43 AM EST|Updated: 1 hour ago

(AP) - Thomas Markle, the father of Prince Harry’s wife Meghan, was arrested Friday morning by federal agents in Florida on charges related to child sexual abuse material, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The people who confirmed his arrest were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Thomas Markle was taken into custody near Tampa.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave after a service of...
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave after a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London, Friday, June 3, 2022 on the second of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee.(Matt Dunham | AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool)

Meghan Markle recently said she was “deeply distressed” by allegations that a collection of child sexual abuse images had been found at her father’s former home. She also revealed that a letter containing “troubling allegations” about him had been sent to London police in 2018.

Meghan, an American citizen who starred in the U.S. television drama “Suits,” married Harry at Windsor Castle in 2018. They have two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Her father, a retired television lighting and photography director, did not attend the wedding, prompting extensive coverage in the British media of Meghan’s estrangement from her father. Meghan said she decided to distance herself from him to protect her children.