Noelle Rasmussen, niece of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has expressed support for the duchess’s decision to sever contact with her father, Thomas Markle, amid serious allegations against him. Rasmussen, speaking from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she grew up and still resides, addressed the impact of recent accusations that her grandfather possessed child abuse images and was involved in alleged offenses against children in the Philippines.
The allegations emerged after Thomas Markle Jr., the duchess’s half-brother, reportedly discovered the images at their father’s residence and alerted local authorities. Thomas Markle has denied any wrongdoing and has not been formally charged. Rasmussen recounted that even as a child, she sensed something was “not right” about her grandfather, though she said she never personally experienced abuse.
In 2019, Roslyn Loveless, Thomas Markle’s first wife and Rasmussen’s grandmother, sent a letter to the Metropolitan Police alleging that Thomas Markle was a pedophile. Loveless also reportedly claimed that he had visited the Philippines and Thailand seeking relationships with underage girls, claims of which Meghan Markle had been made aware prior to limiting her father’s contact. Loveless died in 2024.
Rasmussen described the letter as a courageous act by her grandmother, who she said was determined to protect family members despite personal risk. She criticized the Metropolitan Police for failing to escalate the letter’s content to foreign law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, a lapse that Scotland Yard has acknowledged. The police did inform Meghan Markle of the allegations, but Rasmussen characterized the handling of the case as a “failure of the system.”
Rasmussen further explained the complex family dynamics, noting her grandmother’s open hostility toward Thomas Markle and a difficult childhood marked by alleged abuse from her mother, Samantha Markle. Loveless had intervened by requesting her granddaughter be removed from her mother’s care, a claim Samantha Markle has denied. Samantha Markle has also defended her father and questioned Loveless’s credibility, citing alcoholism, accusations refuted by Rasmussen.
In 2025, following Thomas Markle’s return to the United States for a leg amputation related to a blood clot, Meghan Markle reportedly wrote to him, stating it was unsafe for him to be around her children, Archie and Lilibet, and urging him to seek professional help.
While Rasmussen said she cannot dismiss the possibility that her grandfather harmed family members, she also emphasized that she personally was never victimized. She expressed understanding for her aunt’s decision to keep her children away from Thomas Markle, affirming that she would take similar precautions if faced with the same circumstances.
The unfolding revelations have stirred significant distress within the Markle family, with ongoing scrutiny of law enforcement’s response to early warnings. Rasmussen called for a formal review of the police’s actions, underscoring the importance of accountability in protecting vulnerable individuals.