Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Princess‑consort Meghan Markle, was arrested Thursday in California on charges of possessing child sexual abuse material, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Associated Press.
Investigators said a warrant was issued after they discovered a hard drive and a collection of photographs that authorities deemed to contain illegal content. The suspect was booked into the Los Angeles County jail and is expected to appear before a judge next week. No court documents have yet been released at the time of reporting.
Markle has no previous criminal record on file. The Sheriff's Office did not specify the exact number of items seized or the age of the images. The charges carry potential federal and state penalties, and Markle’s defense counsel has said the evidence is being reviewed. The case will remain pending until arraignment.
