EXCLUSIVE: Meghan Markle 'Reeling' Over Shocking Claims Against Father

It was a daughter's nightmare.

On Oct. 22, the British newspaper The Sun broke the story that Duchess Meghan Markle's half-brother Thomas Markle Jr. had reported their 82-year-old father, Thomas Markle Sr., to authorities after discovering "hundreds, if not thousands" of "sickening" images of child sexual abuse at their dad's former home in the Philippines, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

While Thomas Sr. denied the allegations, the FBI in Florida (where he currently resides) confirmed it was joining the investigation.

In a statement released the following day, Meghan said she was "deeply distressed" by the claims, noting that she was first informed of "disturbing allegations" about her estranged father in 2019, when the U.K.'s Metropolitan Police shared a letter with her that they had received from Thomas Sr.'s late ex-wife, Roslyn Loveless.

In her Oct. 23 statement, Meghan said she'd been "given assurance" her dad was being properly investigated.

Now, as harrowing details continue to emerge, the 45-year-old mom to Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, with husband Prince Harry, 42, is grappling with difficult questions, including why authorities dropped the ball and whether she should have done more to protect potential victims.

The former self-described "daddy's girl" is also forced to wonder if her entire childhood was a lie.

As a source told RadarOnline.com, "It's all just so mortifying for Meghan."

Meghan has been vocal about her tight bond with her dad, who split from her mom, Doria Ragland, when Meghan was six.

"[I was a] daddy's girl my whole life," she said in the 2022 Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.

She's recalled heading straight from her Catholic school to the soundstages where he was a lighting director, including on Married... With Children.

The Suits alum credited her dad with introducing her to the world of entertainment and said she would watch the sitcom's end credits, blowing her dad's name a kiss. The duo "shared many precious times together," said the source.

"But now she's questioning her whole childhood, wondering what her dad might have been up to and whether his 'nice guy' act was just a cover-up for who he really was deep down."

She was roundly criticized when she cut her dad off eight years ago after he posed for paid paparazzi photos before her 2018 wedding to Harry. But the newly revealed allegations offer insight into her actions. "That was clearly very much the right thing to do," said the source.

"Once she received that letter, Meghan ruled out the possibility of a reunion. There was no way she'd allow him near her children."

Thomas Jr. told The Sun he'd stumbled onto his father's illegal stash while searching for a phone at his dad's Philippines home after Thomas Sr. moved back to the U.S. in May following a 2025 leg amputation.

Meghan's 60-year-old half-brother claimed to have found videos of nude girls, and said his dad's desktop computer contained photos of "the most sickening child abuse imaginable."

Thomas Sr. called the accusations "sick lies" and insisted the computers were not in his possession after he left the home.

The source said Meghan was shocked to learn no one had followed up after the police and royal family were warned of Thomas Sr.'s alleged behavior in 2018.

"She was assured the police would do their due diligence. It makes her sick to think more girls may have been harmed while no action was being taken."

The BBC reported Meghan was told at the time that speaking out about the allegations could harm a future investigation.

Harry is furious.

There's been talk the royal family was involved in a top-secret cover-up in the hopes of avoiding yet another scandal, à la the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ties to convicted s-- offender Jeffrey Epstein.

"The last thing the royals need," said the source, "is more bad publicity."

But the source says a surprisingly aligned Meghan and The Firm feel the authorities – who reportedly misplaced the original letter – are ultimately to blame.

"They're all wondering why it wasn't more fully investigated," the source added.