Meghan Drops Brussels Child Safety Speech After Father’s Arrest

The Duchess of Sussex has withdrawn from a planned joint speech with Prince Harry on child safety at the European Parliament in Brussels, The Independent reported. A source told The Telegraph she is “not strong enough” emotionally for public speaking right now, following the arrest of her father, Thomas Markle Sr.

A spokesperson for the duchess said she is traveling to Brussels with the duke and will go with him to the event but will not speak. The appearance on Tuesday will be her first in public since the allegations about her father became known, according to The Independent.

What changes at the Brussels event

Harry and Meghan had been due to deliver the keynote address together, with between 15 and 20 minutes between them for a rare joint speech on children’s digital safety. Harry will now take on the address alone. The Independent reported that it is understood his speech will not touch on his father-in-law’s arrest.

The speech is set for the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, an art installation honoring children who have died after being harmed online. The exhibition features smartphone-shaped light boxes, each showing the lock screen photo of a child or young person who died due to online harm.

The couple, who returned to the U.K. in August, will also hear addresses by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Antonio Lopez-Isturiz, a member of the European Parliament and first vice chair of the Child Rights Intergroup. Harry will later join a panel discussion titled Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future That Works For Children. Audience members may ask questions, but the media may not.

What is known about the case against Markle

Markle, 82, appeared in court on Friday in Tampa, Florida, charged with possession of child abuse material. According to The Independent, he did not enter a plea. The judge imposed travel restrictions on him, released him on bail and ordered a psychiatric exam amid concerns that he may not be able to understand the proceedings or properly assist his lawyer.

FBI agents arrested him after seizing material from two Los Angeles storage units that he had rented for nearly two decades, the outlet reported. He came under investigation after his son, Thomas Markle Jr., reported him to police in the Philippines and to the FBI in October. The son allegedly found illegal images among his father’s belongings in Cebu City.

A Philippine government minister had named Markle Jr. a “person of interest,” but it was later reported that the matter had been cleared up and that police had apologized to him.

Meghan has said she is deeply distressed by the allegations. She has been estranged from her father since the run-up to her 2018 wedding.

Why it matters for the child safety message

The change means the event’s message on protecting children online will be carried by one speaker instead of two. The two had been due to give a rare dual address on the subject. Harry’s appearance at the memorial opening and the panel discussion is unchanged.

What happens next

According to the U.S. Justice Department, a future court appearance in California is not due for at least several weeks.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by The Independent

Cover photo: Fuzheado / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped