Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was arrested by the FBI in Florida on federal child pornography charges.
The 82-year-old was arrested on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Maravida Senior Living in North Lakeland (near Tampa), Florida, where he is currently living in a care home as part of his recovery following his December 2025 leg amputation.
Shocking footage from the scene shows the grizzled father, who had a leg amputated last year, in handcuffs as an FBI agent wheeled him out of the building.
Investigation started after his son, Thomas Markle Jr., reported finding boxes of digital storage and images at a home in Cebu, the Philippines.
Authorities have recovered around 7,500 photographs and a video depicting underage children from devices linked to the probe. Federal authorities also raided storage units in California containing explicit images.
First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli, said, ‘These allegations are extremely serious, and we will prosecute Mr. Markle to the fullest extent of federal law.’
The disgraced dad has denied the allegations, calling them ‘sick lies’ and stating he has never downloaded or possessed such materials.
The Duchess of Sussex issued a statement describing the allegations as ‘deeply disturbing’ and ‘deeply distressing,’noting that keeping her father estranged from her children was done to protect them.
