Prince Harry returns to UK amid Thomas Markle child abuse storm

Prince Harry made his first public appearance in the United Kingdom since child abuse allegations against his father-in-law, Thomas Markle Sr., became public knowledge.

He delivered a keynote address at the Wanderlust Travel Media Awards in London on Wednesday evening.

The event was held at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

Harry spoke in his capacity as founder of Travalyst, a not-for-profit organization he launched in 2019 to promote sustainable tourism.

He wore a suit with a red-and-blue striped tie.

“I started Travalyst because I believe deeply in travel as a force for good,” he told the audience.

The appearance came just days after reports emerged that Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two children — Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 — had left the UK shortly before the allegations became public.

According to a source cited by Hello!

Magazine, the family of four traveled overseas for a brief vacation to spend time with close friends.

The allegations against Thomas Markle Sr., 82, first surfaced in October 2025.

They involve an investigation by authorities in the Philippines, Mexico, and the United States into suspected child abuse images.

Thomas Markle Jr., Meghan’s half-brother, is the one who brought the evidence to police.

He told the Daily Mail that he found a trove of child sex images in boxes inside his father’s former home in Cebu, Philippines.

Markle Jr. turned the materials over to local police.

He said: “It’s been a long process but I’m determined to cooperate fully in the hope that justice will be done.”

Thomas Markle Sr. has denied the allegations, calling his son’s claims “sick lies.”

He told 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.”

On March 2, 2026, Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced that Thomas Markle Jr. had been named a person of interest in the investigation.

“To accuse the father only is only half the police work,” Remulla said, according to News5 Philippines.

He confirmed that a witness alleged underage girls had been brought to a residence linked to the investigation.

“There are signs that point that the son is involved in the crime as well but only as a person of interest so far,” Remulla said.

He added that Markle Jr. is not yet being treated as a suspect.

Remulla also revealed that around 7,500 sensitive materials of underage males and females were uncovered on devices found in Markle Sr.’s belongings.

“They presented it to me but I didn’t want to look because I can’t unsee it,” Remulla said.

“It is the most deplorable displays of impunity towards sexual activity that I have ever seen. It’s really, really disturbing.”

The FBI is assisting Philippine authorities in identifying the registration of six phones that came from the United States.

US agents are also searching two storage units in Los Angeles that were rented by Thomas Markle Sr., following a tip-off from his son.

Mexican authorities began their own criminal investigation after child sex abuse images were found among Markle Sr.’s belongings that appeared to date from when he was in his 40s or 50s.

The scandal deepened when it emerged that Meghan Markle had received a letter from the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection seven years ago.

The letter made “troubling and disturbing allegations” about her father, sources told The Sun.

Meghan was assured at the time that the allegations were being investigated.

She wanted to “speak out” immediately after reading the letter, but police advised her against it, sources said.

The Metropolitan Police has admitted it never shared the details of that letter with other law enforcement agencies.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), is now investigating the force’s conduct.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since the run-up to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.

At that time, Thomas Markle Sr. was caught staging paparazzi photographs and then suffered a heart attack, which meant King Charles III — then the Prince of Wales — walked Meghan down the aisle.

A spokesperson for the Duchess confirmed at the time that she had “reached out to her father.”

A friend of Meghan’s told Hello!

Magazine that she is “really, really upset” by the developments.

“She keeps on looking at Lili, and she’s in tears, and thinking about all the children, the alleged victims,” the friend said.

“She has young children herself. It’s just devastating.”

The friend added that Meghan had decided before the story broke to step away from the media for her own mental health.

“But obviously, she’s been getting sent a lot of messages from friends in the UK and people all over saying how sorry they are, but it’s just been an emotional rollercoaster for her,” the friend said.

“She’s in bits.”

Meanwhile, Thomas Markle Sr. received a visit from his daughter Samantha Markle, 61, at his care home in Florida on Wednesday.