Meghan Markle’s Dad Hit With Fresh Legal Woes
Thomas Markle has been detained again after prosecutors say he cut off an ankle monitor in the middle of the night.
Meghan Markle’s father has been arrested again after prosecutors say he cut off his own ankle monitor in the middle of the night.
Thomas Markle Sr., 82, was released on his own recognizance while awaiting a trial on possession of child pornography charges, but federal prosecutors have now successfully persuaded a judge to revoke that privilege.
“Release conditions are court orders, not suggestions,” said United States Assistant Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli in a statement. “We are asking the court to revoke his release and detain him pending trial, and we will continue to prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law.”
Security personnel wait outside an assisted living facility before the arrival of Thomas Markle Sr. in Lakeland, Florida, on November 6, 2026, after he was charged with one count of possession of child pornography.
Chris Urso/Chris Urso, Reuters
Markle Sr. was rearrested shortly after allegedly cutting off his bracelet at 1:45 a.m. Tuesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Markle Sr. has only one ankle. His left leg was amputated below the knee last year after developing a severe blood clot and ischemia.
Sign Up for Our Beast Digest Newsletter
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
He was seen being pushed by FBI agents—handcuffed in a wheelchair on Friday—from a senior care center in Lakeland, Florida, later Tuesday.

Thomas Markle Sr., 82, was taken into custody again Tuesday.
MEGA/MEGA/GC Images
The royal headache began when the FBI seized approximately 78 items, including slides, film negatives, and books that contained suspected child sexual abuse images in storage in the Los Angeles area allegedly belonging to Markle.
Meghan recently said she was “deeply distressed” about the reports that child sexual abuse images had been found at her father’s former home.

Meghan has said she is estranged from her father.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images
She also revealed that a letter with “troubling and disturbing allegations” about her father had been shared with London police in 2019.
“I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them.”
The Duchess of Sussex said she hopes that “justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.”

Thomas Markle Jr., 60, was the first to report his dad.
Gilbert Carrasquillo/Gilbert Carrasquillo, Getty Images
Meghan’s half-brother Thomas Markle Jr. was the first person to report Markle Sr. to the police last month after he found “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sexual abuse images in his father’s home in the Philippines. The discovery led investigators to two storage units in California allegedly containing the stash, which Markle Sr. had rented since 2008.
Markle Sr. has called the allegations “sick lies” and “the worst thing anyone could accuse me of.”
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
- Account (completed)
- Payment (completed)
- Confirmation (completed)
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
- 1Account
- 2Payment
- 3Confirmation

ADVERTISEMENT
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…
ADVERTISEMENT