Meghan Markle appears publicly after father's child abuse arrest; Harry pushes EU child safety law

Meghan Markle made her first public appearance Tuesday since her estranged father Thomas Markle, 82, was arrested in Florida on Friday and charged with possession of child sexual abuse material. The Duchess of Sussex accompanied Prince Harry to the European Parliament in Brussels for the unveiling of the "Lost Screen Memorial" honoring 50 children who died from online abuse and exploitation. Meghan did not speak at the event; only Harry addressed the gathering, reiterating the couple's commitment to child online safety since 2020.

Thomas Markle was taken into custody by FBI agents at his Lakeland retirement home and has been ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation. US prosecutors allege he stored explicit material involving prepubescent girls in two Los Angeles storage units for nearly two decades. After allegedly cutting off his court-ordered monitoring bracelet, a magistrate judge ordered him detained pending trial. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Meghan previously stated she was "deeply distressed" by the allegations and had blocked contact between her father and her children, Archie (7) and Lilibet (5).

At the Brussels event, Harry praised the EU's proposed Kids Act, expected to be finalized next year, which would ban children under 13 from social media and allow only limited, supervised access until age 15. The legislation would also shift the burden of proof to platforms to demonstrate safety before children use them. The visit marks the couple's first joint public appearance abroad since relocating back to Britain after six years in the United States.

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/11/11/meghan-keeps-low-profile-on-first-trip-after-fathers-arrest/