Meghan Markle has revealed she cut off contact with her father Thomas to safeguard her children, amid an investigation into 'disturbing' accusations he collected child sex images.

Thomas Markle Sr, 82, is facing a probe by authorities in the Philippines, who have also been contacted by the FBI, after the stash was allegedly found at his home there.

The 'sickening' collection is said to include videos of girls no older than ten or 11 involved in sex acts.

The Duchess of Sussex, who has been estranged from her father for years, said in a statement today that she was first made aware of accusations against him by the Met Police in 2018. She famously cut contact with her father in the same year. 

Meghan said news of the find had left her 'deeply distressed' and stressed it was behind her decision to never allow her father to meet Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.

She added the decision, which came after a letter handed to her by the Met's royal protection team, was made to 'safeguard' them. 

It comes after her half-brother, Thomas Jr, made allegations overnight that he had found a large stash of child sex abuse images on computers and phones in four large storage boxes 'left behind' by Thomas Sr when he moved back to the US from the Philippines earlier this year.

Meghan's father returned to the US for health reasons and is currently receiving treatment in a rehabilitation centre after having his left leg amputated.

He has denied owning such material and claims the accusations were 'sick lies' made up by his son, who claims he found the material at his home in Cebu province, for money.

A statement from Meghan today revealed she had first been made aware of 'troubling and disturbing' allegations in 2018 – but did not give any detail as to what these referred to. 

'I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,' she said. 

'In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.

'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.

'I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.

'Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.'

Authorities in the UK had previously told the Duchess that allegations made about her father in a 2018 letter sent to Scotland Yard and subsequently shared with her by police were being investigated, it is understood.

The Met Police said today it is investigating the claims. It is understood that the force has not previously investigated Thomas Sr and is not currently probing him.

A Met spokesman said: 'We are aware of media reports that officers from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command were involved in the passing on of a letter in 2018. We are undertaking enquiries internally in an effort to confirm this.' 

It is believed the letter was sent to Meghan in summer 2018, after her wedding to Harry.

It was confirmed today that the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Philippines is examining reports involving 'an American national in his 80s' who is accused of leaving child abuse videos and photos in his home in Cebu province.

DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty told the Philippine News Agency that the department's Anti-Trafficking and OSAEC (online sexual abuse and exploitation of children) task force 'is currently investigating the matter'.

And the FBI in the US is also understood to be considering launching its own investigation after his son reported his findings to the agency. 

It is understood that the FBI has reached out to authorities in the Philippines and is poised to launch a probe in collaboration with them. 

Thomas Jr claims to have found the abuse material while looking through his father's boxes in July this year to find a phone for his fiancée, Rose, after Thomas Sr had returned to the US for medical treatment. 

He allegedly found videos of girls no older than ten or 11 years old engaged in sexual acts, as well as a 15-minute video of naked girls on his father's old cellphone. He also claimed to have found photos of naked girls, and images depicting children as young as toddlers.

He reported his findings both to the American FBI and to the US Center for Abused and Exploited Children. 

This week, he took the material to local police in the city of Cebu in the Philippines. 

A source close to the Royal Family told the Daily Mail this afternoon: 'This is a matter for the Sussex household.' 

O’Bryan Grandison, Senior Lecturer in Policing at Birmingham City University with more than 30 years experience as a police officer, told the Daily Mail today that now an investigation is underway, officers will be looking to interview witnesses and identify possible victims, including through techniques such as reverse image search and looking to match photos and videos to specific properties.

He said it is perfectly possible for the US and FBI to investigate the allegations concerning material stored abroad as long as the Philippines has signed up to UN protocols on child exploitation.

'In principle after the Filipino police have made contact [with the US], a dual investigation will be launched, to identify victims, witnesses and locations with a view to establishing what offences have been committed and where,' Mr Grandison said.

'They will also be discussing when to conduct an arrest. This is crucial in order to secure/preserve evidence and to get an early account from Thomas Markle about how he came into the possession of those photos.'

He added discussion over who leads the investigation will involve factors including which authority has a more complete case and what a potential sentence in each country would look like. 

'If a country has a more complete case or prima facie evidence for a case, which can be brought to trial expeditiously using specimen charges, then that will be the answer here, especially if a remand in custody can be secured, with a view to prevent further offences from being committed or the destruction of evidence, thereby enabling other countries to continue their investigation,' he added.

On the prospect of any UK authorities becoming involved, Mr Grandison said the letter to Meghan from the Met holds little bearing.

But he added: 'Should a UK charge result, the letter and any previous involvement will be part of the case file as "disclosable" material.'

Before Meghan's statement, her father had vehemently denied possessing child sex images, calling the accusations 'sick lies'.

When asked directly by the Daily Mail: 'Did you download porn onto your computers?' Thomas Sr claimed: 'Never. Never. Never. I have never done that.' 

Asked about a quote from a 'source close to Meghan' who reportedly told The Sun: 'Now maybe people will finally understand why she has had nothing to do with her father since 2018,' Thomas Sr replied: 'I don't believe that.'

He said he and Meghan had a 'great' relationship until she met Prince Harry and he 'stupidly' posed for paparazzi pictures on the eve of their wedding. 

Thomas Jr, 60, made the bombshell claims to The Sun saying he found 'hundreds' of child sex images stored on computers and a cellphone in four large storage boxes 'left behind' by Thomas Sr when he moved back to the US from the Philippines earlier this year.

Thomas Jr said he looked into four storage boxes containing his father's possessions in July this year to find a mobile phone for his fiancée Rose. When he opened one phone he was horrified to see a graphic child sex image. 

He said he later opened a computer and said he saw a screensaver with 'hundreds' of disturbing thumbnail images. He claimed he also saw a video of a young girl engaging in a sex act. 

Meghan's half-brother has had a turbulent relationship with his father in the past but left his home in Oregon in 2022 to move to Mexico, where Thomas Sr had retired.

Thomas Sr said: 'Tom came to live with me after I had a stroke. I supported him financially. I've supported him financially for most of his life. That money stopped in July this year when a family member found he had been taking money from my account.' 

He said he would welcome a computer expert to 'autopsy' the computers (later clarifying he meant they could forensically examine the machines) to determine whether he was in possession of the computers when the alleged vile content was downloaded.

'These terrible lies are being made against me with no proof,' he said. 'How can you accuse a man of something like this with no proof?

'I have not spoken to Tom in months. I don't know where this has come from. I can only think he's doing this to make money. I go between feeling very sad to feeling very angry.'

His eldest daughter Samantha, 61, who is her father's main caregiver in Florida, also came to his defence and accused her brother of 'making up lies' for money. 

She said: 'There is no merit in these disgusting allegations whatsoever and my brother is disgusting for making them up. He wants to destroy our dad. Shame on him. 

'My brother first came out with these lies days after the cash from my dad was cut off. He has used dad as a cash cow for years and once the money stopped he made up the most outrageous lies he could to make money from the media.

'Those computers were out of dad's possession for two years. That leaves a lot of room for tampering. These are unsubstantiated allegations. Anyone could have been in contact with those computers over the past couple of years. Dad did not have access to these computers. Anyone could have set dad up.'

Thomas Sr said he is considering legal action but admitted: 'I don't know what I can do to defend myself? When someone accuses you of something like this it goes all over the world in seconds and some people will believe it forever. It's devastating. 

'I'm angry, I'm hurt and I want the world to know these are terrible lies.'

The Daily Mail has contacted the Metropolitan Police for comment.