Meghan Markle said Friday that she is “deeply distressed” over accusations that her father, Thomas Markle Sr., allegedly possessed child sexual abuse material, calling it “sickening” and saying she distanced herself from him years ago to protect her children.

“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 a statement shared with HuffPost on Friday.

“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,” she said.

“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,” she continued.

The Duchess of Sussex added that she believed authorities were properly investigating the allegations.

“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 service and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” she said.

The Metropolitan Police told HuffPost on Friday that it is “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.”

A press officer said, “We are undertaking enquiries internally in an effort to confirm this,” though the police have not and are not currently investigating Thomas Markle Sr.

The allegations were first made public on Thursday by Britain’s The Sun newspaper, after Meghan Markle’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., reported finding “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sexual abuse images at his father’s house in the Philippines.

“When I found this material I was horrified and I had no option but to report my dad,” Markle Jr. told The Sun. “I have supported, cared for him and helped him for years — but that stops now. I won’t speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him.”

Authorities in the Philippines confirmed to Reuters that they are investigating Thomas Markle. Markle Jr. also reportedly contacted the FBI.

A press officer for the FBI told HuffPost that it “is aware of the allegations and will provide support, as appropriate, to the Philippine authorities. We will also investigate any related allegations of federal violations of U.S. law.”

Markle Sr. denied the allegations in a statement to the Daily Mail.

“I’m shocked, I’m hurt and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me. I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of,” he said, calling it “a bunch of lies.”

Meghan Markle’s strained relationship with her father goes back to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. Her father was infamously a no-show at the wedding after reports that he staged paparazzi photos for profit. He admitted in a documentary back in 2020 that he was still making money off the photos.

Markle and her father have reportedly had no contact since, though Markle Sr. has repeatedly attacked his daughter in the press. Harry has never met his father-in-law in person, though he has expressed regret over the two’s relationship.

“It’s incredibly sad what happened; she had a father before this and now she doesn’t have a father,” the Duke of Sussex said. “And I shouldered that because if Meg wasn’t with me, then her dad would still be her dad.”

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