Meghan Markle made her first public appearance since her estranged father, Thomas Markle, was charged with possessing child sexual abuse material. The Duchess of Sussex accompanied her husband, Prince Harry, to an event on online child safety at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, November 10.
However, Meghan cancelled her scheduled speech at the gathering, with Prince Harry delivering the address on his own. According to reports, Meghan did not feel emotionally strong enough to speak publicly following the allegations against her father.
The couple arrived at the event dressed in black and were greeted by delegates and members of the media. Reporters also asked Meghan how she was feeling, but neither she nor Harry responded to the questions.
The event marked the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, an art installation commemorating children who lost their lives after experiencing online harm. The memorial was initially launched in New York through the couple’s charitable organisation, Archewell.
During his address, Prince Harry spoke about the responsibility of technology companies to make digital platforms safer for children. He also highlighted the struggles faced by parents who have lost their children following harmful online experiences.
“How did we reach a point where we can build technology capable of extraordinary things, yet still struggle to make it safe for a child?” Harry said.
He further emphasised that he was attending the gathering as a father, alongside Meghan as a mother, to stand in solidarity with families affected by online harm.
Meghan Markle made her first public appearance since her father’s arrest, arriving at the European Parliament in Brussels with Prince Harry. While the Duchess attended the Lost Screen Memorial event, she pulled out of delivering her planned speech alongside the Duke. https://t.co/fTReHX8R8p
— The Royal Observer (@royalobserver_) November 10, 2026
What happened to Meghan Markle’s father Thomas Markle?
Thomas Markle, 82, was charged in the United States with possessing child sexual abuse material. The alleged images were reportedly discovered in rented storage units in California.
Thomas has denied the allegations, previously describing them as untrue and “sick lies” in an interview with the Daily Mail.
Meghan has been estranged from her father since the run-up to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. In a statement last month, she said she was “deeply distressed” by the allegations and had known about them since 2018.
She also said she had prevented her father from having contact with her children, Archie and Lilibet, to protect them.
The couple’s Brussels visit comes amid their continued efforts to raise awareness about online safety and the impact of social media on children and families.