Police Sent Allegations About Meghan's Father to Her Office, Not Other Agencies

London police have confirmed they passed a 2019 letter containing allegations concerning Meghan's father to the royal couple's office, but not to other agencies. The Metropolitan Police said it received the document in January 2019 with claims regarding alleged offending outside Britain. The force acknowledged the information was shared with the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. However, Scotland Yard stated it did not pass the letter to other law enforcement agencies at that time.

The police confirmation follows reports published on Friday regarding Thomas Markle Sr. The Sun reported that Markle's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, told detectives in the Philippines he discovered images of a sexual nature involving children. Markle Jr said he found hundreds, if not thousands, of such files on computers and mobile phones stored in four large boxes. The boxes were located at a house in Cebu, where his father lived until he returned to the United States in May after a stroke. The Sun also reported that Markle Jr contacted the FBI in the US. Markle Sr has denied the allegations, calling the accusations "sick lies" in comments to the Daily Mail.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said the force conducted a thorough review of its systems and records regarding the letter. The correspondence was originally sent to the Protection Command to raise concerns regarding the security of the Duchess of Sussex. "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 spokesperson said. The force added it is currently reviewing how the matter was handled in 2019. Scotland Yard is considering whether to refer itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Following the news on Friday, Meghan issued a statement through a spokesperson expressing distress. She stated she was "deeply distressed" by the news and that her thoughts were with any children who may have been harmed. The statement noted she received a letter containing troubling allegations about her father and was given assurances the matter was under investigation. Meghan said her decision to limit her father's contact with her children was made for one reason: to protect them. The duchess has been estranged from her father, who has never met Prince Archie, 7, or Princess Lilibet, 5.

There was a discrepancy regarding the timeline of the letter. Meghan's initial statement on Friday indicated the correspondence was sent in 2018. She later corrected the date, confirming the letter was sent in 2019. A spokesperson said it was understandable to be mistaken by a few months when recalling events from more than seven years ago without a diary entry or contemporaneous record. The spokesperson said if the Met holds a time-stamped record showing the letter was reviewed in 2019, that should be treated as the accurate reference point. Sources said Meghan learned of the allegations in 2019 but could not speak publicly to avoid jeopardizing any future investigation and because speaking out could have led to legal action against her.