Meghan is in a ‘very emotional space’ but she still has one key source of strength

In the end it proved one step too far. Almost until the last moment, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, planned to join her husband in making a keynote address at an event in Brussels about online dangers for children. She will still be there. But after the arrest of her father, Thomas Markle, for alleged possession of child abuse material (a charge which he denies), Meghan has pulled out of making a joint speech with Harry. She is, I understand, in a “very emotional space” right now, and she’s simply not feeling strong enough to do any public speaking at the moment. She was desperate not to pull out of the engagement, which is a high-profile event at the European Parliament. In fact, in the aftermath of her father’s arrest, she felt it was more important than ever that she should be there to help draw attention to the harm that children can be subjected to in this increasingly digital world. So she will go to Brussels to support Harry, but he will now make the speech – which had been billed as a 20-minute joint address – alone. Meghan is just hoping that she can keep it all together during what will be her first public appearance since the allegations against her father became public. Those who know the Duchess say the whole situation is “just awful” for her, but her anguish is principally focused on the harm that any children might have suffered because of her father. Thomas Markle is currently under house arrest at his care home in Florida charged with one count of possession of child abuse images. He is to undergo a psychiatric assessment to ascertain whether he will be able to understand court proceedings following reports that he is suffering dementia.Meanwhile, on social media, the vitriol about Meghan continues unabated. Her critics berate her for having remained silent about the allegations concerning her father after she was shown a letter written to the police in 2019. But the Duchess was advised at the time that repeating the allegations could jeopardise any potential future court proceedings. She has now made it known that she is keen to help the FBI or any other law-enforcement agencies with their enquiries about Mr Markle. Notwithstanding the appalling nature of the allegations, it is an emotionally charged undertaking to testify against a once loved parent. In the past, Meghan has described herself as “a daddy’s girl”. She wanted him to walk her down the aisle when she married her Prince. Now she is having to come to terms with the fact that images of children have allegedly been found in storage units rented by her father for nearly two decades. There is no scheduled opportunity for journalists to ask questions at the Brussels event – but that is never a guarantee. And Meghan is savvy enough to know that the cameras will be trying to peer into her soul. What they will find is a woman in a state of considerable emotional turmoil, and a daughter questioning every element of her once close relationship with her father. She is going to Brussels to support Harry in a campaign they have both been deeply committed to for some time. But the truth is she has never needed the support, strength and protection of her husband more than now. I, despite the still fragile relations with her British family, would also be very surprised if Meghan had not also been offered some sympathy from her father-in-law the King.