London — Prince Harry and Meghan held hands tightly Tuesday as they stepped into public view for the first time since the Duchess of Sussex’s estranged father was arrested in the United States. The FBI detained Thomas Markle Sr., 82, in Florida on Friday after federal prosecutors charged him the previous day with possession of images of child sexual abuse.
Harry and Meghan arrived Tuesday at the European Parliament in Brussels for an event focused on online child safety. Harry and Meghan had been slated to deliver a keynote speech together at the Lost Screen Memorial, but Meghan withdrew, leaving Harry to address the event solo.
Children “deserve to feel safe wherever they are,” Harry said, standing alone at the podium, “in a classroom. On a playground. At any time, no matter where they are.”
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The scheduled event’s focus was on addressing the perils of online abuse and exploitation of children, but Harry’s remarks carried deeper significance for his wife and all those in attendance given the timing.
“I know from people close to her that she is very, very emotional, and that is the reason why she pulled out of giving the speech along with Harry today in Brussels,” said Roya Nikkhah, royal editor of Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper and a CBS News contributor. “It’s been a very difficult time for her.”
Nikkhah said Meghan had decided to still attend the event in “solidarity,” which she called “a strong indication of how strongly and passionately she feels” about the subject matter.
The duchess said last month that she was “deeply distressed” by the allegations against her father, and that she had first heard “disturbing allegations” about her estranged father in 2018, which she said had played a large part in her and William’s decision to keep him from their own children.
“I think for her, she’s trying to process it,” said Nikkhah. “Trying to protect her children as well, and maintain some sort of semblance of normal family life, but from what I understand, that’s very difficult at the moment.”
According to an FBI affidavit, investigators found dozens of items including slides, film negatives and books at two storage units in Los Angeles, with some photographs appearing to show Thomas Markle Sr. with children in “various stages of undress.”
Police in the Philippines confirmed in late October that they are also investigating alleged child sexual abuse materials found at Markle’s former home in the city of Cebu.
Markle has denied any wrongdoing and dismissed some of the allegations as “sick lies.”
“Meghan is very keen to cooperate with the FBI investigation and any other investigations around the world,” said Nikkhah on Tuesday. “I was told she would very much like to help those investigations, provide any evidence or help that she can, so that is very much her plan.”
She added, however, that it would not be straightforward for the duchess.
“That is going to be something else that she will need to navigate,” she said, adding that the royal couple are “keen not to stop all of their public work, and try and carry on in any way that they can.”
Harry and Meghan’s appearance at the European Parliament was also their first public event since they returned to the U.K. over the summer after spending more than six years living in the United States.
A U.S. judge ordered Markle to undergo a psychiatric evaluation last week, setting a deadline of Nov. 20, saying there was “reasonable cause to believe” he may be “mentally incompetent” to stand trial.
Markle is living at a nursing home in Lakeland, Florida, under police watch and house arrest.