The Duchess of Sussex will be focused on keeping calm and carrying on with her new life in the UK, despite the horrific allegations that have come to light against her estranged father Thomas Markle Sr.
Meghan relocated from California to the UK in August with her husband Prince Harry and their two young children Archie and Lilibet, and has been quietly working on her British relaunch and various projects, including acting.
As discussed in the latest episode of HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast, the Duchess "doesn't have any option other than to carry on," said Royal Editor Emily Nash.
"She has kept a relatively low profile for long periods over the last couple of years, but that doesn't make sense at the moment, where she is trying to relaunch herself, where she's running this business, and she's also trying to get back into acting," explained Emily.
"So it's a really, really awful situation for her to be dealing with, but I think as we said earlier, having the distraction of work, the children, and her various projects is probably a good thing."
Scroll down to watch the full podcast episode.
© GettyWhat has Thomas Markle Sr been accused of?
Meghan's father Thomas Markle Sr has been accused of child sex abuse, allegations he has vehemently denied. The Sun reported that Thomas's son, Thomas Jr, alleged he had discovered boxes of child sex images at their home in the Philippines, and went to the police. However, Meghan's half-sister, Samantha Markle, accused her brother of fabricating the claims in a story in the Daily Mail.
The Daily Mail has also since reported that child sex abuse images were also found at an abandoned storage unit belonging to Thomas Sr in Mexico, where he lived before the Philippines. The retired Hollywood lighting director, 82, is being cared for in a home in Florida and has denied possessing child sex images, calling the accusations "sick lies".
What has Meghan publicly said?
In a statement regarding her father's scandal, Meghan said she was made aware of "disturbing allegations" about her father in a letter sent to Scotland Yard eight years ago, but that she was assured these were being investigated. The Times reported on Sunday that Meghan had wanted to go public with the allegations back in 2019, but was advised not to do so by police.
In her statement, Meghan said: "I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed." She also noted: "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. I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.
"Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children."
Meghan's upcoming work plans
Despite the horrific allegations, it's understood Meghan will continue to plough on with her planned work schedule. Amid the disturbing headlines surrounding her father, it was announced that she had secured a role as a judge on Australia's Junior MasterChef.
© Getty Images"I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes," Meghan said in a statement. "I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun. I can't wait to see what they cook up."
The show will likely film for several weeks sometime in the first half of 2027, and production will take place in Melbourne. Although no decision has been made about whether Archie and Lilibet will travel with her on their first trip to Australia, the length of Meghan's expected absence from the UK makes it likely that they will accompany her.
The Duchess also has plans to expand her lifestyle brand As ever to the UK, and she appears to be keen to relaunch her profile in London, having made various unofficial appearances in the capital. The day before her trip to Nottingham, she was photographed leaving a hair salon alongside the celebrity hairstylist George Northwood, who styled her hair for her 2018 wedding.
© Instagram / @meghanShe also met up with campaigner Malala Yousafzai, 29, who survived being shot by the Taliban and became the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. The Duchess later posted photos of the pair enjoying afternoon tea together at luxury hotel Claridge's, and announced she would be marking the International Day of the Girl by donating 100 per cent of net proceeds from As ever's jams and teas to the Malala Fund.
Meghan's first and only official public appearance in the UK, however, has been a day of charity engagements in Nottingham with her husband Harry in October. The Duke is expected to carry out more of such engagements this side of Christmas, and Meghan may join him occasionally.
