Meghan Markle clutched the hand of her husband, Prince Harry, on Tuesday as she made her first public appearance since her estranged 82-year-old dad, Thomas Markle Sr., was charged with possession of child pornography.
The duchess is attending an event about online child safety at the European Parliament in Brussels, and was expected to make a speech but pulled out as she didn’t feel “strong enough” in light of the allegations facing her father.
Meghan, 45, walked into the European Parliament building clutching her 42-year-old husband’s hand and refused to answer questions from journalists.
One reporter asked how Meghan, who was dressed in all black, was feeling but she stayed silent. Prince Harry didn’t make any comments.
Both are attending the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial — an art installation commemorating children who died as a result of suffering harm on social media.
The memorial features 50 phones with lock screens of children who have died as a result of harmful side effects of social media.
Meghan hasn’t commented on her father’s arrest – but previously said she was “deeply distressed” and hopes “justice will be fully served” after the allegations emerged.
Markle Sr’s alleged trove of child porn was uncovered by his son, Thomas Markle Jr., which prompted him to report it to the authorities.
Markle Sr., was arrested Friday at the Maravida Senior Living care home in Lakeland, Florida, and appeared in court on allegations he kept child sexual abuse material in two Los Angeles-area storage units he rented for almost two decades.
“Markle allegedly targeted innocent children and sought to steal their innocence through his criminal actions,” Kash Patel, the FBI Director, said of Markle’s arrest.
Agents seized 78 items from the storage units – including slides, film negatives and books containing suspected child sex abuse material, the Justice Department said.
Two of the images depicted an adult man – whom a witness identified as Markle Sr. — with a nude prepubescent girl.
A third image showed a naked prepubescent girl in a room that appeared to be part of a motel chain in the Philippines.
Additional photos showed Markle Sr. “along with children in various stages of undress,” the complaint claims.
“Mr. Markle is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material, including photographs depicting himself with minor girls,” said First Assistant United States Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli.
“These allegations are extremely serious, and we will prosecute Mr. Markle to the fullest extent of federal law.”
Markle, who was wheeled out of his care home by FBI agents, was later released on bond and ordered to have no contact with minors.
He faces 20 years in prison if convicted.
With Post wires
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