Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, arrested in Florida on child abuse material charges

Thomas Markle, the 82-year-old father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was arrested by US federal agents in Florida on charges related to child sexual abuse material, according to The Guardian. He was taken into custody near Tampa.

Markle is a retired television lighting and photography director. He did not attend the wedding of his daughter and Prince Harry. In October, reports said he was under investigation for possession of child sexual abuse material, after WFLX reported that materials had been found. Police later intensified their probe after uncovering suspected material, according to the Bradenton Herald.

The investigation began with a complaint from Meghan. London's Metropolitan Police opened an inquiry after the Duchess said she had been sent a letter containing disturbing allegations, as the BBC reported. Meghan has said that a letter with troubling allegations about her father was sent to police in London in 2018. She said she was deeply distressed about allegations that child sexual abuse images were found at her father's former home.

Thomas Markle Jr, who was named as a person of interest in the child sexual abuse inquiry earlier this week, has alleged that he found a stash of images belonging to his father at the former home in the Philippines.