The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that a letter containing claims about alleged offending outside the UK by Thomas Markle Sr, the father of the Duchess of Sussex, was passed to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex but not shared with other law enforcement agencies. The force said on Saturday that it is reviewing the handling of the matter and considering whether a referral to the police watchdog is necessary.
Met Police Confirms Receipt of Letter in 2019
In a statement released on Saturday afternoon, a Met Police spokesperson said: “Following a thorough review of Met Police systems and records, we have confirmed that in January 2019, we received a letter containing a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom. It was sent to the MPS Protection Command to raise concerns in relation to the security of the Duchess of Sussex.”
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 details of the allegations in the letter were not shared with other law enforcement agencies. The MPS is reviewing the handling of this matter in 2019 and considering whether a referral to the IOPC is necessary to review our approach.”
Philippines Investigation and Meghan's Statement
The confirmation comes after authorities in the Philippines said they are investigating allegations that Thomas Markle Sr had a hoard of child sex abuse images. On Friday, Meghan said she was made aware of “disturbing allegations” about her father in 2018. She said she was shown a letter sent to Scotland Yard eight years ago making “troubling” allegations against Thomas Markle Sr and was assured that these were being investigated.
According to The Sun, Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, alleged that he found a stash of images belonging to their father at his former home in the Philippines. He reportedly told police in the country that he discovered the child abuse pictures and videos mixed up with innocent family mementos. The newspaper said he also contacted FBI investigators in the US in July.
Family Background and Previous Legal Case
Meghan was the only child of Mr Markle’s marriage to Doria Ragland, though he has two children, Samantha and Thomas Jr, from an earlier marriage. In 2021, Meghan won a High Court privacy and copyright claim against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over articles that reproduced parts of a “personal and private” handwritten letter she wrote to Mr Markle in a bid to get him to stop talking to the press. She wrote the emotional five-page letter to him in August 2018 after taking advice from two unnamed senior royals.
In 2025, Mr Markle moved to the Philippines for a new life after suffering a series of strokes. The Met Police’s review of the 2019 letter and the ongoing investigation in the Philippines are separate but related developments, with the force now considering whether the Independent Office for Police Conduct should examine its handling of the original correspondence.
