Met Police confirm 2019 Markle allegations letter went to Sussex office

The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday that a letter detailing alleged crimes by Thomas Markle Sr was delivered to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in January 2019. The force stated that the document, which outlined claims of offending outside the United Kingdom, was shared only with the royal office and not with other law enforcement agencies.

This confirmation follows a report by The Sun stating that Meghan Markle's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, discovered a collection of child sexual abuse images belonging to their father. Markle Jr, 60, allegedly told detectives in the Philippines that he found hundreds, if not thousands, of images on computers and mobile phones stored in four large boxes at the family home in Cebu. Markle Sr lived in the Philippines until returning to the United States in May following a stroke. Markle Jr also reported contacting the FBI regarding the discovery.

In a statement, a Met spokesperson explained that the letter was sent to the Protection Command to address security concerns for the Duchess. The spokesperson noted that the letter was reviewed and a decision was made to pass it to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. The force is currently reviewing how the matter was handled in 2019 and is considering a self-referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Meghan Markle responded to the news on Friday, describing herself as deeply distressed. She said her thoughts were with any children who may have been harmed and confirmed that a letter containing troubling and disturbing allegations had been shared with her. She stated that she was given assurances the claims were being investigated. Meghan said her decision to keep her father from having contact with her children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, was made solely to protect them.

The Duchess initially stated the letter was sent in 2018 but later corrected this to 2019. Her spokesperson said it was understandable she could be mistaken by a few months when recalling events from more than seven years ago without a diary entry or contemporaneous record. The spokesperson added that if the Met holds a time-stamped record showing the letter was reviewed in 2019, that should be treated as the accurate reference point.

Thomas Markle Sr has denied the allegations. He told the Daily Mail that the accusations were sick lies. Sources indicated that although Meghan learned of the allegations in 2019, she could not speak publicly to avoid jeopardizing any future investigation or facing legal action.

The Metropolitan Police said they have completed a thorough review of their systems and records regarding the 2019 correspondence. The force is weighing whether to refer its own handling of the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.