EXCLUSIVE: Questions Surround Thomas Markle Sr. Being Described as 'Sharp' Just Weeks Before His Arrest

The arrest followed allegations involving thousands of abusive images and videos. Markle Sr, who denies wrongdoing, had recently claimed to be experiencing cognitive difficulties and said he had been diagnosed with dementia.

His son, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, has now questioned the timing of those claims after speaking to his sister Samantha Markle, 61, about their father's condition earlier this year.

He said: "I called Samantha and asked how Dad was doing in Florida and she couldn't have been more positive."

Markle Jr added: "She said he was doing great and in good health and had recovered really well. She said that he was mentally sharp and he was like Dad of old, making jokes and laughing."

The conflicting accounts have now raised questions about Markle's mental condition before his arrest, although no independent medical assessment has been made public.

A source told us: "The biggest question is how Thomas could have been described as mentally sharp, laughing, joking and behaving like his old self just weeks before suddenly claiming to have dementia. The timing has raised eyebrows, especially given the seriousness of the allegations against him.

"Samantha apparently gave a very reassuring account of her father's recovery. There was no suggestion in that conversation that he was suffering from severe confusion or that his mental faculties had deteriorated dramatically.

"Then, amid these horrific allegations emerge suddenly his cognitive health becomes a major talking point. People – including the authorities – are naturally going to ask what changed, when it changed and whether there is medical evidence explaining the difference.

"That does not mean Thomas is inventing anything. Dementia can develop gradually, symptoms can fluctuate and someone may appear perfectly lucid during a conversation.

"If Markle Sr was diagnosed before these allegations surfaced, that would be significant information. Equally, if concerns about his memory only emerged recently, people will want to understand what prompted them and what doctors actually concluded.

"The central issue is not whether somebody with dementia can laugh, joke or hold an intelligent conversation – they absolutely can. It is whether the family's earlier description of his condition can be reconciled with what is now being claimed.

"Given the gravity of the criminal allegations here, there will inevitably be intense scrutiny of everything surrounding this case, including Thomas's health, his living arrangements and the circumstances of his arrest.

"Ultimately, medical professionals rather than relatives will have to establish the extent of any cognitive impairment. Until then, the family's conflicting accounts leave important questions unanswered, but at the moment they do not prove that anybody has been dishonest."

Cognitive impairment can vary considerably between individuals, and outwardly normal conversations do not establish the absence of an underlying neurological condition.

A legal observer said: "The obvious question is whether there is documented medical evidence supporting the reported diagnosis of Thomas, and when any cognitive problems were first identified.

"Family members may have very different impressions of somebody's mental health, particularly when they are recovering from serious physical illness. Those differences alone cannot establish whether a diagnosis is genuine.

"If cognitive impairment becomes relevant to criminal proceedings, medical records and specialist evaluations would carry far greater weight than competing family recollections."

Markle Sr has denied all allegations against him.