Meghan Markle accompanied Prince Harry to the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, making her first public appearance since her father’s arrest on a child sexual abuse material charge, Global News reported.

Harry spoke at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, which commemorates children who have died as a result of harm suffered on social media. The installation features oversized smartphone replicas, each displaying a child’s photograph.

Meghan had been scheduled to speak alongside him but withdrew because she was not “strong enough emotionally,” a person familiar with her reasoning told The Associated Press. She still attended the event with Harry.

Harry called on technology companies to be more transparent about issues involving children and to avoid showing young users content they would not show their own children. He also urged companies to help bereaved parents gain access to their children’s phones and social media accounts.

“Because of the company’s privacy policies, the parents were blocked from finding out how their child died. That cannot be right,” he said.

According to Global News’ report by Katie Scott, which included Associated Press reporting, Thomas Markle Sr. was arrested Friday in Florida and charged with one federal count of possession of child pornography. The FBI alleges he kept child sexual abuse material in two Los Angeles-area storage units.

After an initial court appearance in Tampa, he was released to a senior care centre under electronic monitoring, AP reported. A magistrate judge also ordered a psychiatric examination over concerns about his ability to understand the proceedings or assist his lawyer.

Markle Sr. denied the allegations in a statement to the Daily Mail. Meghan has said she was “deeply distressed” by allegations involving her estranged father.

Sources