‘Explicit content’ found in Thomas Markle’s cellphones, hard drives
The items recovered from Thomas Markle Sr., which are suspected to contain child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CSAEM), will undergo digital forensic examination once police obtain a warrant to examine computer data. Photo from PNP WCPC via Karen De Guzman, ABS-CBN News CEBU — Explicit content has been found in the digital devices allegedly owned by Thomas Markle Sr., father of Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, police said Tuesday.
Markle Sr. is recently in hot water after his son Thomas Markle Jr. turned over digital devices believed to contain materials that are against the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act on October 23.
Authorities secured a warrant to examine the data of nine mobile phones, three SD cards, five hard drives and one camera, along with other non-digital devices.
“We were able to find that there are files consisting of several CSEAM materials. This will be subjected further for analysis,” Police Maj. Gen. Wilson Asueta, acting director of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, said in a press conference in Cebu.
“These are video of a male and female minors, others are not minors doing sexual activities and of course, explicit materials,” Asueta added.
Initial investigation revealed that the locations and individuals in the explicit materials are “from foreign country, Asian, Caucasian” but not from the Philippines, said Asueta.
Authorities are still waiting for the full report to determine if Markle Sr. is in any of the videos.
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office has created a task force, which is gathering evidence to file appropriate cases of possible violation of Republic Act No. 11930, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is also in Cebu to do its own investigations, is also collaborating with local police.
Markle Sr. used to live in a high-rise apartment in Cebu City from January 2025 to May 2026.
In late 2025, he suffered a severe blood clot that led to the below-the-knee amputation of his left leg.
He left Cebu in May 2026 and returned to the United States for medical treatment and a prosthetic limb, and is currently in a facility in Florida.