A U.S. federal judge has ordered a psychiatric examination for Thomas Markle, 82, the estranged father of Meghan Markle, after his arrest on charges of possessing child sexual abuse material.
Markle made an initial court appearance in Tampa, Florida on Friday, November 6, 2026, where Judge Lindsay Griffin issued the psychiatric evaluation order. The judge cited Markle's "health condition," "advanced age," and "lack of recall" as reasons for the examination, without providing additional details.
According to the Justice Department, Markle is charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Federal prosecutors allege he "kept child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including sexually explicit photographs of himself with prepubescent girls, in two Los Angeles-area storage units he rented for nearly two decades."
Markle was taken into custody by FBI agents on Friday at a retirement home in Lakeland, Florida, where he resides. Following his court appearance, he was released on bail with conditions including house arrest and electronic monitoring. He is restricted from traveling outside the Middle District of Florida and the Central District of California.
The psychiatric examination is intended to determine whether Markle is mentally competent to understand the nature of the charges against him and to assist in his own legal defense.
Markle has been estranged from his daughter Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and wife of Prince Harry, since her 2018 wedding.