Thomas Markle Sr, the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex, has admitted to paying prostitutes for sex in the Philippines, while denying any sexual contact with minors. In an interview, the 82-year-old said he travelled to the Philippines at least twice when he was single and "slept with prostitutes" during those visits, adding: "I like Asian women but that is not a crime."
Mr Markle claimed that any child abuse images found on his computer were "planted" to destroy his reputation before he dies. He stated: "I have never had sex with anyone under the age of 18." The interview follows reports that the Metropolitan Police had failed to pass on sex abuse claims made against him to other law enforcement agencies for more than seven years.
Allegations and Investigation
The allegations were made in a letter that Meghan claimed to have seen, and she was told the claims were being investigated. On Saturday, the Met admitted failing to pass on details of the "alleged offending outside the UK" to other agencies, including those in the US, Mexico, and the Philippines where Mr Markle has lived.
Authorities in the Philippines confirmed they are investigating Mr Markle over an alleged hoard of child-sex images. One 35mm photograph reportedly shows a bearded man resembling Mr Markle having sex with a young Asian girl, but Mr Markle told the outlet: "I have never been in a photograph like that."
Mr Markle's Defence
In a two-hour interview, Mr Markle said he would take a lie detector test to prove his innocence. He also claimed that any child abuse images found on his computer were planted, and that books described as "pornographic" are about Hollywood history and photography.
He confirmed that Meghan had stopped him from seeing his grandchildren, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, because of the "lies". The duchess previously released a statement saying: "My thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed." She added that her decision to cut ties with her father and "choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason – to protect them".
Family and Legal Proceedings
Mr Markle is currently in a nursing home in Florida, learning to walk with a prosthetic limb after having his left leg amputated last December. He relocated to Cebu City in the Philippines from his home in Mexico last year.
His son, Tom Jnr, 60, claims he found alleged child abuse images on computers his father left behind in the Philippines. He told The Sun: "When I found this material, I was horrified and I had no option but to report my dad. I have supported, cared for him and helped him for years, but that stops now. I won't speak to my father ever again unless I'm called to give evidence against him."
Officials confirmed on Saturday that Mr Markle was being investigated by officers in Cebu City's anti-trafficking and anti-child abuse task force. The FBI could also launch its own investigation. Mr Markle said he welcomes forensic examination of his computer and will cooperate with authorities. The Met Police confirmed it received a letter in 2019 about "a number of claims of alleged offending outside the UK by Thomas Sr", which they passed to the Sussexes but not to other law enforcement agencies.
