Has the royal family responded to Meghan Markle’s father Thomas Markle Sr.’s arrest? Royal experts explain why King Charles may keep any support private

NEED TO KNOW

• Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have not publicly commented on the arrest of Meghan Markle’s estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr.
• “It is a very private matter. It is up to the King to speak to them, but he should only do it privately,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story
• Royal experts tell PEOPLE why King Charles may choose to offer support privately, while the ongoing legal investigation could complicate even a personal conversation

As Meghan Markle navigates the fallout from her estranged father Thomas Markle Sr.’s arrest, the royal family has remained publicly silent on the allegations. Whether the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry have received private expressions of support is another question.

Buckingham Palace has made no public comment on the allegations against Thomas Sr., nor has Kensington Palace, the official London residence of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The silence comes at a delicate moment for Harry, 42, who has been taking tentative steps toward rebuilding his relationship with his father, King Charles, 77, following years of family estrangement.

Thomas Sr., 82, was arrested in Florida on Nov. 6 on a federal charge of possessing child pornography following an investigation into suspected child sexual abuse material recovered from storage units he rented in the Los Angeles area. Initially released under strict conditions, he was taken back into custody on Nov. 10 after allegedly cutting off his ankle monitor. Thomas Sr. has previously denied wrongdoing.

For Meghan, 45, the allegations have been devastating.

“She is devastated. This is her dad, someone she grew up trusting and was very close to for many years,” a source close to Meghan tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “The allegations are devastating for her. There’s a lot of sadness.”

The case also has a connection to the royal protection system that surrounded Harry and Meghan during their time as working members of the royal family.

In an Oct. 23 statement, Meghan revealed that she had been alerted to allegations involving her father in 2019 after London’s Metropolitan Police shared a letter written by his first wife, Roslyn Loveless, detailing claims about his conduct.

According to a source familiar with the situation, a royal protection officer advised Meghan not to speak publicly about the allegations, even as she was assured, she says, that they were being investigated.

At the time, Harry and Meghan were still part of a joint royal household with William and Kate, with the couples sharing an office at Kensington Palace. Their households formally separated in March 2019. There is no indication that William, Kate or King Charles were personally made aware of the allegations.

The Metropolitan Police has since confirmed that it received the letter in January 2019 and passed it to the Sussexes’ office but did not share the allegations with other law enforcement agencies.

The force subsequently referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which launched an independent investigation into the failure to pass the allegations to other authorities. The Met is separately examining its decision to share the letter with the Sussexes’ office.

Now, with Thomas Sr. facing federal prosecution, royal commentators say any response from the palace would require particular sensitivity.

“It is a very private matter. It is up to the King to speak to them, but he should only do it privately,” royal commentator Ingrid Seward, author of Catherine & Diana, tells PEOPLE. “I am sure he will. Any father would do that.”

Royal biographer Robert Hardman, however, believes the legal sensitivities surrounding the investigation could complicate even a private conversation.

“Anything to do with any legal process, as we have seen with the former Prince Andrew case, is something they will avoid at all costs,” says Hardman, author of Elizabeth II, referring to the former Duke of York’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “Even a private conversation could be misconstrued.”

The allegations have also prompted some observers to reconsider Meghan’s longstanding estrangement from her father, a decision that previously drew public criticism.

“There has been a certain amount of rethinking from some people on the duchess,” Hardman says.

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In her October statement, Meghan said her decision to keep her father away from her children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, was motivated by her desire to protect them.

“I think people are beginning to understand why Meghan made certain decisions, even when she faced criticism for them,” an insider tells PEOPLE. “The public doesn’t always know the truth, and it’s important to remember that there’s often much more happening behind the scenes than people realize.”

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