Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle's niece says Grandpa Thomas' child p0rn allegations 'don't surprise me'

Meghan Markle’s niece, Noelle Rasmussen, has spoken about the allegations involving her grandfather, Thomas Markle Sr., saying she had previously felt uneasy around him.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Rasmussen said the allegations concerning child abuse images had not surprised her. However, she made clear that she was not alleging that he had abused her. “Maybe it was a vibe that I subconsciously got … something’s not right about a person, and you don’t actively register it. But your body tells you when something’s off,” she said.

“It doesn’t surprise me. The more and more I think about it, it just doesn’t … I don’t know why it’s not a surprise.” Rasmussen said she had “never been victimized or had the chance to be victimized”. Her comments describe her personal impressions and do not establish the allegations against her grandfather.

Her mother, Samantha Markle, has defended Thomas Sr. and criticised her brother, Thomas Markle Jr., who reportedly brought the allegations to the attention of authorities in the Philippines. Thomas Sr. has denied the allegations involving children. The reports have also renewed attention on Meghan’s estrangement from her father. Meghan said she had excluded him from contact with her children after receiving a letter containing allegations about him.

London’s Metropolitan Police previously confirmed that it received a letter in January 2019 containing claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom. The force said the letter was reviewed and passed to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. The Met’s confirmation concerned its handling of the correspondence, rather than verification of the allegations it contained.

Meghan also reportedly wrote to her father explaining that she knew about the claims and was ending contact. In a separate response reported by TMZ, Thomas Sr. acknowledged paying adult workers while continuing to deny the allegations involving children.

Philippine authorities are reportedly investigating suspected child abuse images found at his property. A forensic examination was expected to be completed within days of the report. The allegations remain under investigation, and the report did not identify a court finding establishing wrongdoing by Thomas Sr.