It’s been almost a week since Meghan Markle’s father, 82-year-old Thomas Markle Sr. was arrested by federal agents on charges of possessing child sexual abuse material. The developments come just as Markle, Prince Harry and their children were trying to settle back in the U.K. after a series of recent failed business ventures. An insider has just updated us on how Meghan is allegedly feeling right now, and the same word keeps getting thrown around.
Markle has been estranged from her father since around the time of her royal wedding back in 2018. But here’s what’s going on with her following federal charges being made against him, per an insider who spoke to People:
She is devastated. This is her dad, someone she grew up trusting and was very close to for many years.
Thomas Markle Sr. was arrested on November 6th in his assisted-living home in Lakeland, Florida. He could face up to 20 years in prison for his child sexual abuse charges. Meghan Markle’s dad was booked after illegal materials were found in his possession both in the Philippines and through two Los Angeles storage units that he’d been renting since 2008. When FBI special agents searched the units, they found 78 items of child sexual abuse material there. The insider also said this:
The allegations are devastating for her. There’s a lot of sadness.
“Devastation” is the common word between the two comments from the insider, and it’s understandable why that word might be the most apt for Meghan Markle. The investigation has led to prosecutors allegedly finding sexually explicit photographs of Markle Sr. with prepubescent girls.
Meghan’s father has denied all allegations. He’s currently being detained in a corrections facility until the conclusion of his trial. He was moved there after he reportedly cut off his ankle monitor four days after he was allowed to return to his place of residence under the strict conditions of house arrest, electronic monitoring and no contact with minors.
As we wait to learn further details of Mr. Markle’s case, Meghan has reportedly been leaning on her friends and family including her mother, Doria Ragland, who she's “very close” with. Ragland was married to Thomas Markle Sr. from 1979 and 1987, and has apparently already helped the authorities identify her ex husband in suspected child sexual abuse images with the faces of the children involved redacted.
This news comes as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly “effectively stalled” their U.K. house hunt after they found their bank balance “isn’t matching their ambition”. It’s also been alleged that the Duchess of Sussex’s business have been gravely impacted by news of her father. No official trial date for Thomas Markle Sr. has been set, so for now, we await further details of his case.
