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FBI 'to search Thomas Markle's newly uncovered LA lock-ups for possible THIRD stash of child abuse images among Meghan mementos' after tip-off from his son

FBI 'to search Thomas Markle's newly uncovered LA lock-ups for possible THIRD stash of child abuse images among Meghan mementos' after tip-off from his son

Secret lock-ups rented by Thomas Markle Snr in California to store the Duchess of Sussex's belongings, along with memorabilia from his own life, are set to be searched for child abuse material, it was claimed today.

Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, has reportedly told the FBI the location of two storage units at a site in Los Angeles.

'I dread to think what they might find,' he said last night, as investigations continue in the Philippines and Mexico.

A stash of alleged child abuse images was discovered by the Daily Mail inside a storage locker rented by Meghan's father in Rosarito, Mexico. The Mail alerted the FBI to the find last week, prompting a raid by Mexican authorities.

Police in the Philippines are also said to be 'very close' to bringing formal charges against Mr Markle after child abuse images were allegedly found at his apartment.

Tom Jr claims his father told him around 2011 that he had two lock-ups 'stuffed to the brim' with Meghan's former furniture and possessions from her time at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

The former Hollywood lighting director also stored boxes of memorabilia from his own career in the units, which are now expected to form part of the investigation.

Tom Jr, who is said to have been interviewed by the FBI for two hours, told The Sun: 'My father told me about the two units years ago. He's had them for about 15 years.

'One is stuffed to the brim with Meghan's old furniture. The other is packed with boxes, books, photos, memorabilia from his Hollywood career, items from Meghan's college days and God knows what else.

'I dread to think what the FBI might find, especially given what has already been found in the Philippines and Mexico.'

Meghan, pictured as a teenager, has been estranged from her father, Thomas Markle Sr, for years. Two previously unknown lock ups he rented, said to contain some of Meghan's belongings and his own personal mementoes, will be searched  

The Daily Mail alerted the FBI after uncovering a stash of sexually explicit books, magazines and photos - including of Asian females who look conspicuously young - in a Mexican storage unit rented by Mr Markle

Markle Sr with a mystery young woman in his belongings

Mr Markle vehemently denies the allegations, telling the Daily Mail they are 'sick lies'.

He is now living in a Florida care home specialising in dementia care, close to Meghan's half-sister Samantha.

An insider claimed: 'Since the meeting she’s stopped speaking about the allegations on social media.'

Mr Markle and Samantha reportedly held ‘crisis talks’ together over three hours yesterday.

Detectives in the Philippines have said they had found 'explicit content' – including footage of 'male and female minors' – on digital devices which allegedly belonged to the Duchess of Sussex's father.

Police were granted a warrant on Thursday to search material found in four storage boxes at the 82-year-old's flat in the city of Cebu.

Officers spent the weekend looking through the devices, which included nine mobile phones, three SD cards, five hard drives, a camera and another non-digital object.

Major General Wilson Asueta, of the Philippine National Police, said this week: 'We were able to find that there are files consisting of CSEAM [Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material].

'This will be subjected further to analysis. These are videos of a male and female minors, others who are not minors doing sexual activities and of course, explicit materials.

'We are conducting ongoing digital forensics analysis and our field investigators are also doing their best conducting investigations... to validate the information that was provided to us. The investigation is going in the right direction.'

He said that none of the children in the videos appeared to be from the Philippines but said they looked 'Asian [or] Caucasian'.

The Sun last night reported that as a result police were 'very close' to bringing formal charges against Meghan's father. 

The force was handed the cache of potential evidence by Mr Markle's son Tom Jr, who lives in the Philippines. 

Meghan's half-brother claimed he had found 'hundreds, if not thousands' of child abuse pictures and videos – including an image that appeared to show his father having sex with an underage girl.

Mr Markle has denied any wrongdoing, admitting he paid for sex in the Philippines but insisting it was only with adult prostitutes.

He has described the allegations against him as 'sick lies' and suggested he was 'set up'.

Meghan, now the Duchess of Sussex, is the only child of Thomas Markle Sr with his second ex-wife Doria Ragland (pictured with Meghan in 2018)

Mr Markle moved from Mexico to the Philippines in January last year before relocating to the US in May following the amputation of his lower leg. On Friday, he was reportedly moved into a care home for dementia patients in Florida.

Experts believe it is unlikely that someone with advanced dementia could be extradited.

Meanwhile, Mexican authorities confirmed they had raided a storage unit previously rented by Mr Markle in Rosarito after the Mail discovered a stash of indecent images of children there. 

The FBI is also thought to be investigating after Scotland Yard finally shared a letter containing allegations his late ex-wife Roslyn Loveless sent about him in January 2019.

The force has referred itself to the independent police watchdog over its failure to act on the letter, despite sharing a copy with Meghan and Prince Harry.

The letter reportedly said that he had moved to Asia because '12-year-olds are legal there'.

Police have also reportedly advised Meghan not to speak publicly about the claims. She previously said she was 'deeply distressed' by the allegations.

Philippines police are said to be 'still poring over everything but serious images of child abuse have been found... so formal charges are very close,' a source said.

READ MORE: Can Thomas Markle's dementia halt child abuse investigation? Are Meghan and Harry hurting the King's popularity? Watch the new Palace Confidential, now available a day early for subscribers

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to visit Brussels next week as they resume public appearances in the wake of child sexual abuse image allegations facing Meghan's father.

Prince Harry and Meghan will deliver a joint keynote address at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial in the European Parliament on Tuesday.

It is expected to be the first time the pair will have been seen in public since Thomas Markle Sr was reported to police in the Philippines and the FBI over a haul of suspected child abuse images.

The brief trip abroad will see Harry and Meghan listen to addresses by European Parliament president Roberta Metsola and MEP Antonio Lopez-Isturiz, the first vice-chairman of the Child Rights Intergroup, before delivering their own speech.

The Sussexes will have between 15 and 20 minutes for their rare dual-address, which they will use to speak about the importance of children's digital safety.

Harry and Meghan will also be shown the memorial exhibition, which remembers children who have lost their lives as a result of the harm they suffered on social media.

The Duke will later join a panel discussion called Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future That Works For Children to discuss how to protect children online.

Prince Harry and Mehgan arrive for a visit to Himmah Hub in Nottingham on October 15

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has said videos of alleged child sexual abuse and exploitation were among files found in four storage boxes that allegedly belonged to Mr Markle Sr, after he was reported by his son Thomas Markle Jr last month.

Major General Wilson Asueta of the PNP said it had yet to be confirmed who owned the devices, which included nine mobile phones, three memory cards, five hard drives and a camera.

The 82-year-old was reported to police in the Philippines and the FBI last month by Mr Markle Jr, who handed over a haul of alleged child abuse images he said he found in his father's belongings in Cebu City.

A second hoard was discovered last Friday in a storage unit Thomas Markle Sr is said to have rented near his former home in Rosarito, Mexico, during a raid by Mexican police.

Reports have since claimed Mr Markle Sr was moved into a care home for dementia patients in Florida, described as a specialist 'memory care' facility.

It has raised concerns the FBI may never be able to interview Meghan's estranged father because of the legal barriers over interrogating suspects with cognitive issues in care homes.

Meghan was left 'deeply distressed' at the allegations and revealed she was sent a letter via the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection seven years ago which made 'troubling and disturbing allegations' about her father, but that she was given assurances these were being investigated.

Harry and Meghan are set to be seen in public for the first time since her father Thomas Markle was reported to police over a haul of alleged child sexual abuse images

The Metropolitan Police has admitted it never shared the details with other law enforcement agencies, with the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, now investigating the force's conduct.

The Duchess had wanted to 'speak out' immediately after reading the letter but police advised her against this, sources said.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since the run-up to her 2018 wedding when he was caught staging paparazzi photographs and then had a heart attack, meaning the King, then-the Prince of Wales, stepped in to walk Meghan down the aisle.

When former TV lighting director Mr Markle Sr had his leg amputated in the Philippines last year, he made pleas for the duchess to contact him, saying he did not want to die while they were still estranged.

A spokesperson for the duchess confirmed at the time she had 'reached out to her father'.

Last week, it emerged Meghan wrote in this final letter that she knew he was an abuser and that he would never see his grandchildren Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Mr Markle Sr, who returned to the US in May, has admitted to paying for sex in the Philippines but denied ever possessing child abuse imagery.

READ MORE: Harry and Meghan lose another key member of staff as Archewell's head of factual programmes steps down after more than five years

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Blake Lively looked as if she had some new pep in her step when she was spotted out in New York City on Tuesday night in a stunning little black dress.

The 39-year-old Gossip Girl star was spotted out in Manhattan's Upper East Side for an event celebrating the launch of jeweler Brent Neale's new holiday collection, according to E! News.

Although Lively was reportedly joined by friends, her husband Ryan Reynolds, 50, didn't appear by her side.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Lively's representative for comment but hasn't yet heard back. 

Lively – who recently revealed her over-the-top beauty regimen – channeled classic glamour in her skimpy black dress, which was decorated with glittering sequins.

The off-the-shoulder minidress featured a playful black bow that covered her cleavage for a touch of modesty.

Blake Lively looked as if she had some new pep in her step when she was spotted out in New York City on Tuesday night in a stunning little black dress

The 39-year-old Gossip Girl star was spotted out in Manhattan's Upper West Side for an event celebrating the launch of jeweler Brent Neale's new holiday collection, according to E! News

Lively – who recently revealed her over-the-top beauty regimen – channeled classic glamour in her skimpy black dress, which was decorated with glittering sequins

Lively's short skirt showcased her toned legs, which culminated in clear Louboutins that strapped around her ankles and featured black-tipped toes.

The It Ends with Us star, who is stepping out in the wake of her bruising legal drama with her former costar and director Justin Baldoni, wore her long blond hair in dramatic waves cascading down her shoulders.

She completed her glamorous ensemble with a simple black leather hobo handbag, and she added some extra sparkle with dangling earrings and multiple enormous sparkling rings.

Lively looked as if she was on top of the world as she beamed for photographers outside the shindig.

The outing comes after Lively revealed the secrets of the beauty regimen she uses to look as if she's in the 'first trimester of life' last week.

The actress took to her Instagram Story to share a candid clip of the nighttime routine she uses to maintain her 'natural beauty.'

She appeared to be wearing headgear with red-light therapy over her hair, in addition to a sheet mask with extra pieces she had pasted to her bare face. 

The Gossip Girl alumna was also bundled up in a brown fleece hoodie while seemingly winding down for the night with her beauty routine.

The off-the-shoulder minidress featured a playful black bow that covered her cleavage for a touch of modesty

Lively's short skirt showcased her toned legs, which culminated in clear Louboutins that strapped around her ankles and featured black-tipped toes

The It Ends with Us star wore her long blond hair in dramatic waves cascading down her shoulders

She completed her glamorous ensemble with a simple black leather hobo handbag

Lively added some extra sparkle with dangling earrings and multiple enormous sparkling rings

Lively looked as if she was on top of the world as she beamed for photographers outside the shindig

The outing comes after Lively revealed the secrets of her beauty regimen last week

She joked that her go-to products make her look as if she's in the 'first trimester of life'

The actress took to her Instagram Story to share a candid clip of the nighttime routine she uses to maintain her 'natural beauty' 

Lively gave a glimpse into her cozy wind-down routine shortly after the drama involving her film It Ends With Us and her director and costar Justin Baldoni. 

'Natural beauty is effortless,' she quipped at the bottom of her post, which pictured her taking a deep breath while the mask covered her face.

Lively also drew thought bubbles around her face, and in one, she wrote: 'If I don't look like I'm in the first trimester of life after this much effort I quit.' 

She continued: 'I miss the 2000s when we just used that handsoap with fish characters on it on our face & called it a day.' 

The Gossip Girl star also noted the lights in the background of her room in another thought bubble: 'My kids' star projector that I stole is a vibe tho.'

She set her candid post to the tune of Fergie and Ludacris' 2006 smash hit Glamorous.

The mother of four – who shares James, 11; Inez, ten; Betty, seven; and Olin, three, with her husband Ryan Reynolds – often shares snippets of her hair and beauty routines on social media.

In August, she shared a video of herself getting ready in her bathroom before rushing out the door as a busy mother and businesswoman. 

The mother of four – who shares James, 11; Inez, ten; Betty, seven; and Olin, three, with her husband Ryan Reynolds – often shares snippets of her hair and beauty routines on social media; above with Reynolds in April 2025 in NYC

In August, she shared a video of herself getting ready in her bathroom before rushing out the door as a busy mother and businesswoman

Her post comes after she was in a legal battle with Baldoni, and the former costars settled right before their trial was set to begin. Baldoni was ultimately ordered to pay $400,000 of Lively's legal fees earlier this year; pictured together in It Ends With Us

'The look: no time but need to look cute while ALSO raising children,' the movie star, who was seen using products from her Blake Brown haircare brand, wrote over the clip. 

'Moment of truth: bun out after running around the city,' she continued, before almost running out the door with her pants unbuttoned.

Her post comes after she was in a legal battle with Baldoni, and the former costars settled right before their trial was set to begin. 

Baldoni was ultimately ordered to pay $400,000 of Lively's legal fees. 

Lively previously sued Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer in December 2024. 

Right before their trial was set to begin earlier this year, Lively was awarded just over $400,000 of the $8 million she sought in legal fees from their dispute due to his countersuit. 

In her lawsuit, Lively asserted that she was subjected to sexual harassment as well as retaliation, alleging he orchestrated a smear campaign to harm her reputation after she brought up complaints about his behavior on set.  

In response, Baldoni denied harassment and claimed Lively made complaints to seize creative control of the movie. 

In June 2025, the countersuit was thrown out. In May of this year, just two weeks before the scheduled trial date, the former costars reached their settlement.

They also released a joint statement, writing that they 'remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.' 

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