Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has made her first public appearance since her estranged father, Thomas Markle, was arrested in the United States over allegations involving the possession of child sexual abuse material.

Meghan appeared alongside her husband, Prince Harry, in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday during an event at the European Parliament focused on protecting children from online abuse and exploitation.

The couple were welcomed by photographers as they arrived at the parliament, where they were scheduled to deliver a joint address at the opening of an installation known as the Lost Screen Memorial.

However, Meghan withdrew from the planned speech, leaving Prince Harry to address the gathering alone.

Reports indicated that the duchess was not emotionally prepared to speak publicly following the recent developments involving her father.

Despite withdrawing from the speaking engagement, Meghan attended the event and stood alongside her husband. She was seen holding his hand as they arrived and did not respond to journalists who asked questions about her father’s arrest.

The appearance also marked the couple’s first joint public engagement abroad since returning to live in Britain after spending six years in the United States.

Meghan’s 82-year-old father, Thomas Markle, was arrested by FBI agents on Friday at the retirement facility where he resides in Lakeland, Florida.

He was subsequently charged with one count relating to the alleged possession of child sexual abuse material.

The United States Department of Justice alleged that he kept sexually explicit materials involving minors in two storage facilities in the Los Angeles area, which he had reportedly rented for nearly two decades.

He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

US Magistrate Judge Lindsay Griffin subsequently ordered him detained pending the resolution of his case after prosecutors alleged that he had violated the conditions of his pretrial release by removing his court-ordered electronic monitoring bracelet.

The judge also directed that he undergo a psychiatric examination, with a report on his mental condition expected by November 20.

Meghan had previously issued a statement expressing deep distress over the allegations against her father, revealing that she had been aware of troubling accusations since 2018.

She also explained that she had prevented him from having contact with her children, Archie and Lilibet, because of concerns surrounding the allegations.

During Tuesday’s event, Prince Harry delivered a speech highlighting the dangers children face online and the need for technology companies to take greater responsibility for their safety.

He reiterated their commitment to protecting children from digital abuse, exploitation and harmful online experiences.

The event featured the unveiling of the Lost Screen Memorial, an installation honouring 50 children who died following experiences of online abuse and exploitation.

Harry also participated in a panel discussion alongside senior European Union officials, where he criticised major technology companies for failing to implement sufficient measures to protect young users.

He praised the European Union’s efforts to strengthen online child protection, including proposed regulations that would restrict children’s access to social media platforms.

The planned EU Kids Act is expected to introduce restrictions on social media access for children under 13, while providing for limited and supervised access for those below 15.

Harry maintained that protecting children online should be a shared responsibility and urged technology companies to prioritise safety rather than leaving parents to deal with the consequences of online harm.

The Brussels engagement formed part of the couple’s continued advocacy for stronger digital safety measures through their charitable organisation, Archewell.

The allegations against Thomas Markle remain subject to legal proceedings, and he has denied wrongdoing.