Fastrack · Police Extend Child Abuse Probe to Meghan Markle's Brother

Thomas Markle Jr., half-brother of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is now a person of interest in the Philippine investigation into his father. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced it Thursday in Manila.

Remulla cited a witness who alleged underage girls were brought to a residence.
Reported totals of seized material differ: roughly 500, 7,000, or 7,500 items.
82-year-old Thomas Markle Sr. denies the allegations and calls his son's claims lies.
Markle Sr. now lives in a dementia care home.

Why it matters: The son who handed over the images is now part of the inquiry. That could complicate a case built partly on his account.

Mexican authorities are separately investigating material found in a storage unit there.
Meghan says police warned her in 2018, which shaped her break with her father.

The story so far

19 steps · since Oct 22

Oct 22Report: Meghan Markle's Father Investigated Over Alleged Child Abuse Images45 sources
Oct 23
Oct 232:31 PMThomas Markle's Ex-Wife Reportedly Wrote Letter to Met Police14 sources
Oct 26–Nov 4
Nov 5Police Extend Child Abuse Probe to Meghan Markle's BrotherYou are here
Nov 69:43 AMThomas Markle Arrested on Child Abuse Material Charges66 sources
Nov 6
Nov 7Report: Philippines to Pursue Child Abuse Charges Against Thomas Markle8 sourcesLatest

How 11 sources split on this story

Source landscape

Factuality

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Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right

Political Bias

Coverage by lean% of 11 sources

11 sources · 15 articles · 46% Center coverage

Where they split: Outlets differ on whether the witness claim against Markle Jr. holds up, with The Sun reporting an innocent explanation others do not mention.

Center coverage, 5 sources: The center highlights that the son who reported his father is now under scrutiny himself.

TMZ4dThomas Markle's Son Who Reported Him Named Person of Interest in Child Porn Probe Newsweek4dMeghan Markle’s Half Brother ‘Person of Interest’ in Police Child Sex Probe PennLive4dMeghan Markle’s brother named person of interest in dad’s sex crime investigation Sky News4dMeghan's brother a 'person of interest' in child abuse image claims Yahoo News4dMeghan Markle’s half-brother Thomas named a 'person of interest' in investigation into child sexual abuse material involving their father

Left coverage, 2 sources: The left centers Meghan's statement that her distance from her father was meant to protect her children.

The Independent4dAnother family member of Meghan Markle 'person of interest’ in child abuse probe The Guardian4dDuchess of Sussex’s estranged half-brother ‘person of interest’ in child sexual abuse inquiry

Right coverage, 4 sources: The right frames it as a widening scandal in Meghan's family, while The Sun disputes the witness claim.

The Daily Caller4dREPORT: Another Meghan Markle Family Member Named Person Of Interest In Child Porn Investigation The Sun3dCops apologise to Thomas Markle Jr after wrongly naming him ‘person of interest’ in probe into dad’s ‘sick child images’New York Post4dMeghan Markle’s half-brother a ‘person of interest’ in Thomas Markle Sr.'s child porn investigation Daily Mail5dPhilippines police extend child abuse investigation to Meghan's brother Thomas Markle Jr as well as her father

What’s next: Remulla said Markle Jr. is not yet a suspect and the picture should clarify within days.

The FBI is helping identify who owned the devices.
Markle Jr. says he has reported storage units his father rented in Hollywood to the FBI.
Who owned the seized devices?
Will Markle Jr.'s status change from person of interest to suspect?
Can Markle Sr. be interviewed given his dementia diagnosis?