Letter from Thomas Markle Sr. to ex-wife reportedly confessed he went to the Far East 'because 12-year-olds are legal there'
Thomas Markle Sr. is facing renewed scrutiny following allegations from his late ex-wife regarding his past behavior in Southeast Asia. Additionally, he is reportedly under investigation in the Philippines concerning the possession of child sexual abuse materials.
Why it matters
The allegations involve a high-profile figure connected to the British Royal Family and raise serious legal and ethical questions regarding child safety and international jurisdiction.
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Make Page Six a Preferred Source Thomas Markle Sr. reportedly said that he went to the Philippines and Thailand because “12-year-olds are legal there.”
The disturbing claim was made by his first wife, Roslyn Loveless, in a 2019 letter she sent to London’s Metropolitan Police obtained by the Sun.
Loveless wrote, “I questioned Thomas Snr — he denied [child sex abuse] accusation but stated that he went to the Philippines and Thailand because 12-year-olds are legal there.”
Follow live updates on the Thomas Markle investigation for everything we know
In 2019, the legal age of sexual consent in the Philippines was 12 years old, but it was still illegal to pay for sex with anyone under 18.
In 2022, the country raised the minimum age of sexual consent from 12 to 16.
Also covering this story
10 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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