Meghan Markle’s father ordered to undergo psychiatric exam in child abuse images case

Miami, November 11 — A US judge has ordered Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Meghan Markle, to undergo a psychiatric evaluation following his arrest for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse images. The 82-year-old is charged with one count of "possession of child pornography" and appeared before a judge in Tampa, Florida, on Friday.

Judge Lindsay Griffin cited his "health condition," "advanced age" and "lack of recall" in the order, providing no further details. Markle was taken into custody by FBI agents at his retirement home in Lakeland, Florida. The Justice Department stated that he allegedly kept child sexual abuse material, including photos of himself with prepubescent girls, in storage units rented in Los Angeles for nearly two decades.

Images were also allegedly found at Markle's former home in the Philippines and at a storage unit in Mexico. The judge found "reasonable cause to believe" that Markle was mentally incompetent due to a condition that prevented him from understanding the proceedings against him or assisting in his defense. She ordered a psychiatrist to submit a report on Markle's mental state by November 20.

Markle was permitted to remain under house arrest with electronic monitoring. Meghan Markle expressed deep distress over accusations that her father possessed child sexual abuse images last month. If convicted, Thomas Markle could face up to 20 years in prison.