Met Police reviews handling of 2019 letter concerning Meghan Markle’s father
The force says it received claims about alleged offending outside the UK, passed the letter to the Sussexes’ office and did not share the claims with other law-enforcement agencies.
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it received a letter in January 2019 containing claims about alleged offending outside the UK concerning Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s father, Thomas Markle. The London force said it did not share the claims with other law-enforcement agencies and is reviewing its handling of the letter, including whether to refer itself to the police watchdog.
The Met said the letter was referred to its Protection Command to raise concerns about the duchess’s security and passed to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. CBS News separately received confirmation of the letter from a Scotland Yard spokesperson. Police have not announced the outcome of their review or a decision on a watchdog referral.
Why Meghan and the Met give different dates
Meghan said in a statement sent to CBS News on Friday that a letter sent to the Met and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018 was subsequently shared with her. She said it contained troubling allegations against her father and that she was assured they were being investigated. The Met’s record places its receipt of a letter in January 2019, leaving the chronology unresolved.
A spokesperson for the duchess told BBC News that any discrepancy of a few months was an understandable consequence of the passage of time, CBS reported. Meghan said the allegations were why she had kept her children from contact with her father. She described herself as deeply distressed by the recent reports about him.
How the letter relates to the Philippine inquiry
The Met’s confirmation follows earlier reporting on Meghan’s statement and allegations being investigated by authorities in the Philippines. CBS reported that The Sun had attributed the Philippine allegations to Thomas Markle Jr., who said he found material at his father’s former home there. Thomas Markle has denied the allegations, according to a Daily Mail report cited by CBS. The allegations remain unproven.
An FBI spokesperson told ABC News that the bureau was aware of the allegations and would provide support to Philippine authorities as appropriate. The Met’s review concerns its own handling of the 2019 letter: whether its decision to notify the Sussexes’ office without sharing the claims with other law-enforcement agencies warrants a referral to the police watchdog.
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Sources and context
- Met Police received letter about Meghan Markle's father in 2019ABC News Australia
- Met Police confirms it did receive letter about Meghan Markle's fatherPA Wire, published by the Evening Standard
- U.K. police say they received letter with claims against Meghan's father, wasn't shared with other law enforcementCBS News
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.