The key facts
- Meghan Markle has withdrawn from a public speech in the European Parliament on November 10 after her father's arrest
- Thomas Markle, 82, was charged with possessing materials depicting child sexual abuse and released on a promise to appear in court
- The speech's topic is protecting children on social media; only Prince Harry will speak
Cancellation of the speech
Meghan Markle has withdrawn from a public speech in the European Parliament following the arrest of her 82-year-old father, Thomas Markle, on charges of possessing materials depicting child sexual abuse. This was reported by Sky News , citing a source familiar with the situation: “She is simply not emotionally strong enough right now to speak in public.”
What was planned
Originally, the Duchess and her husband, Prince Harry, were scheduled to speak together on November 10 at the European Parliament in Brussels. The speech was to focus on the safety of minors on social media and protecting children from online threats. It is now expected that Meghan will still attend the event, but only Harry will address the audience. The change of plans came just days after her father was detained by US law enforcement.
Thomas Markle's fate
According to Life.ru, after his detention, Thomas Markle was taken to a federal court in the American city of Tampa, where he was formally charged. After the question of pretrial measures was considered, the 82-year-old man was released on a written promise to appear at court hearings; the investigation against him is ongoing.
