Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, found himself back in federal custody in Florida this week after allegedly violating his house detention conditions by removing an ankle monitor. According to court documents, Markle appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Tampa on Tuesday and was denied bond due to the alleged violation. The 82-year-old had been placed under house detention last week following his arrest over possession of child sex abuse material. Prosecutors have claimed that Markle's housing situation is "untenable," and he has been ordered for a medical evaluation and to receive all necessary medication.
The legal saga began last week when the FBI, acting on warrants, searched storage units in Los Angeles registered to Markle. Inside the units, the FBI reportedly seized about 78 items, including film negatives, slides, and books that allegedly contained child sex abuse material. Witnesses "positively identified" Markle in two of the images believed to contain such material. The alleged abuse is said to have taken place decades ago, given the man pictured appears to be in his 30s or 40s, which places him well outside Markle's current age of 82.
The duchess has been estranged from her father since 2018 and reportedly broke contact with him last year, telling him that she and the authorities knew he had abused young girls. In a previously shared statement, Meghan confirmed the existence of the letter and expressed deep distress over the situation. She also stated that she hoped it could be understood why she had largely cut off contact from her father and did "not allow him to have contact with our children."
This latest development in Thomas Markle's legal case comes as a surprise, given his recent health issues, including a series of strokes and the amputation of one leg. The BBC has contacted Markle's representatives for comment on the matter.