By Tracy Cabrera
Following suit to investigations by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Philippine authorities are starting a probe into the alleged possession of sex abuse images by British crown prince Harry’s father-in-law Thomas Markle.
In a statement, Prince Harry’s wife, actress Meghan Markle, expressed she was “deeply distressed” by the accusations that her estranged father possessed images of child abuse found among his belongings at his former home in the Philippines.
Thomas Markle, who now reportedly arrested in a rehab center in Florida, denied the allegations against him, saying they were “sick lies.”
A spokesperson for the FBI announced that it was “aware of the allegations and will provide support, as appropriate, to the Philippine authorities”.
“We will also investigate any related allegations of federal violations of US law,” its statement asserted.
It was learned that in 2018, Meghan, now the Duchess of Sussex, had revealed that in a letter sent to London’s Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection, she had made similar accusations against her father.
“It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” she cited.
“I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,” she added.
Corollary to this, the duchess pointed out that she is hopeful that the issue could “now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them.”
