PH investigating Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, after child pornography claims

MANILA/LONDON- Authorities in the Philippines are investigating Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, the wife of Britain's Prince Harry, the Philippine justice undersecretary said on Friday, after allegations he possessed child sexual abuse images.

"Our Anti-Trafficking and Anti-OSAEC (online sexual abuse and exploitation of children) task force in Cebu is currently investigating the matter," Nicholas Ty, Philippine justice undersecretary, told Reuters.

Reuters could not immediately reach Thomas Markle for comment but he was quoted by the Daily Mail newspaper in Britain as saying the allegations against him were untrue and "sick lies".

Meghan, who married King Charles' younger son and whose royal title is the Duchess of Sussex, said she was "deeply distressed" over the allegations, first published in Britain's the Sun newspaper on Friday.

According to the Sun, Meghan's half-brother reported his father to police in the city of Cebu in the Philippines where Thomas Markle had been living, after finding a huge collection of child sexual abuse images in his father's house.

Meghan said in a statement she had known about the allegations against her father, 82, since 2018 and had prevented him having contact with her children Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5 to protect them.

She has been out of contact with her father since the run-up to her 2018 wedding. Days before the event, Thomas Markle said he would not attend due to ill health after he earlier admitted posing for paparazzi pictures.

Meghan said she was shown a letter which had been sent to British police in 2018 with "troubling and disturbing" allegations about her father, adding that she was told they were being investigated.

British police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"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 said.

"My sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children," she added.

The Sun also said Thomas Markle's son had contacted the FBI in the United States over the allegations. The FBI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Harry and Meghan and their children relocated to England in August after living in California for six years.

- Nestor Corrales in Manila and Michael Holden in London, writing by Sarah Young, editing by Alexandra Hudson/Reuters