Meghan Markle said she’s “deeply distressed” over the child pornography investigation into her estranged father, Thomas Markle, and claimed that similar allegations about Thomas that were made eight years ago sparked her decision to cut him out of her life.

“In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection,” Meghan, 45, told Page Six in a statement on Friday. “That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.”

“I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them,” the mom of two added. “I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.”

Meghan explained that “although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine,” she hopes “justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.”

She also said that her “thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed.”

Meghan got married to Prince Harry on May 19, 2018 — the same year she allegedly received the letter about Thomas, who did not attend the royals nuptials after being accused of staging paparazzi photos and having to undergo major heart surgery.

The Sussexes welcomed son Archie one year after their wedding, while daughter Lilibet was born in 2021.

News that Thomas is being investigated over alleged child sex abuse images broke Thursday.

According to the Sun, Thomas’ son, Thomas Jr., reported his father to police after discovering “hundreds, if not thousands” of the alleged material inside several boxes in Thomas’ Cebu home.

Thomas reportedly left the alleged images in storage boxes buried among family “mementos,” which Thomas Jr., 60, found while searching for a phone.

“When I found this material I was horrified and I had no option but to report my dad,” Thomas Jr. said of the content, which allegedly included images of girls around 10-11 years old engaged in sex acts.

Thomas Jr. added, “I won’t speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him.”

However, Thomas’ daughter, Samantha Markle, slammed her brother Thursday and told the Daily Mail that “there is no merit” to the allegations that she claimed Thomas Jr. “made up” for money.

“He wants to destroy our dad,” Samantha — who is Meghan’s half-sister — said. “Shame on him.”

Samantha further said, “There is no proof my dad downloaded any images. Those computers were out of his possession for two years. That leaves a lot of room for tampering. These are unsubstantiated allegations.”

Her partner, Mark Phillips, told Page Six Thursday from the couple’s Florida home, “I will say one thing: It’s bulls–t.”

Phillips also claimed Thomas Jr. “has done this several times before, sold the dad out with lies.”

Thomas has been dating his much-younger nurse, Rio Canedo, since earlier this year.

The patriarch returned to the US in May following a series of health scares that culminated in a blood clot that led to an emergency leg amputation in the Philippines, where he moved to in January 2025.