Meghan's half-brother a person of interest in child abuse case

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., is being treated as a "person of interest" in the child abuse case involving their father, Thomas Markle Snr.

Last month, it was revealed that the royal's estranged father is being investigated by authorities in the Philippines after his son allegedly found boxes of child pornography at his property there.

Sharing an update on the case at a press conference in Manila, Juanito Victor Remulla, the Philippines' interior secretary, said that Markle Jr. was being treated as a person of interest.

"There are indications suggesting that the son may also be involved in the crime, but only as a person of interest so far - he is not yet treated as a suspect," he said, reports The Telegraph.

Police are following up on claims about underage girls being brought to Markle Jr.'s home at Cordova in the Philippines.

"We have witnesses that underage girls are brought to his house, and we are following it up," Remulla stated.

The politician went on to explain that Markle Jr. had been asked by police about the allegations, and the 60-year-old claimed he was "merely doing TikTok (videos)".

Markle Jr. was recently interviewed at his home in Cordova as part of an international, multi-agency meeting. According to The Sun, he gave a statement to an FBI agent based in Florida and an agent who specialises in child sex abuse cases.

It comes after Markle Jr. claimed to have discovered four large boxes containing "hundreds, if not thousands" of child pornographic images in his father's home in the Philippines.

On Tuesday, child abuse images were allegedly found by police on digital devices belonging to Markle Snr, who is now living in Florida following the amputation of his lower leg in December.

Responding to the allegations in a statement last month, Meghan said, "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."

Markle Snr, 82, has denied the allegations.