Met Police Admit Sharing Markle Letter With Sussex

The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday that it sent a 2019 letter containing allegations against Thomas Markle Sr to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The document outlined claims of alleged offending involving the duchess's father. Scotland Yard stated it received the letter in January 2019. The force said the letter made several claims about offenses committed outside of Britain.

The Met said the information was passed to the royal office for their awareness. It was not shared with other law enforcement agencies. A Met spokesperson said the force conducted a thorough review of its systems and records. The letter was sent to the Protection Command to raise security concerns. The spokesperson added, “The letter was reviewed and a decision was made that it should be passed to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness.”

The Met is currently reviewing how it handled the matter in 2019. The force is considering whether to refer itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The review follows new reports that Thomas Markle Jr found images on devices in the Philippines. The Sun newspaper reported that Markle Jr told detectives he found hundreds, if not thousands, of such images. The items were stored on computers and mobile phones in four large boxes at a home in Cebu.

Thomas Markle Sr lived in the Philippines until May. He returned to the United States after suffering a stroke. Markle Jr, who is 60, said he contacted the FBI in the US regarding the discovery. Thomas Markle Sr has denied the allegations. He told the Daily Mail that the accusations were “sick lies.”

Meghan Markle spoke through a spokesperson on Friday. She described herself as deeply distressed by the news. She said her thoughts were with any children who may have been harmed. The duchess confirmed that a letter with troubling and disturbing allegations had been shared with her. She said she was given assurances that the claims were being investigated. She stated that her decision to keep her father from contact with her children was made to protect them.

Meghan is estranged from her father. He has never met Prince Archie, who is seven, or Princess Lilibet, who is five. The couple recently moved back to the UK from the US. Meghan initially said the letter was sent in 2018. She later corrected this to 2019. A spokesperson said it was understandable for her to be mistaken by a few months when recalling events from more than seven years ago without a diary entry. The spokesperson added that if the Met holds a time-stamped record showing the letter was reviewed in 2019, that should be the accurate reference point.

Sources said Meghan could not speak publicly about the allegations in 2019. They explained that she waited to avoid jeopardizing any future investigation. They also noted that speaking out could have led to legal action against her. The Met now holds the time-stamped record for the review period. The force will decide if an external review is needed.