Met Police Sent 2019 Allegations Letter to Sussex Office Only

The Metropolitan Police said Friday it forwarded a 2019 letter containing allegations about the Duchess of Sussex's father to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and to no other law enforcement agencies. The force received the letter in January 2019 through its Protection Command, which handles security matters for the duchess, and reviewed it before routing it to the couple's office for their awareness. The correspondence raised concerns about offending outside Britain.

The confirmation arrived after claims emerged Friday that Thomas Markle Sr possessed child sexual abuse images. The Sun reported that Markle's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, told detectives in the Philippines that he found "hundreds, if not thousands" of such images on computers and mobile phones stored in four large boxes at a house in Cebu. Markle Sr lived there until he returned to the United States in May following a stroke. Markle Jr also told the paper he contacted the FBI. Markle Sr rejected the claims, calling the accusations "sick lies" in comments to the Daily Mail.

A Met spokesperson said the force had reviewed its systems and records and that a decision was made to pass the letter to the Sussex office. The spokesperson said the force is examining how the matter was handled in 2019 and is considering whether to refer itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Meghan said through a spokesperson Friday that she was "deeply distressed" by the reports and that her thoughts were with any children who may have been harmed. She said she received a letter containing "troubling and disturbing allegations" about her father and was told they were being investigated. She said her decision to keep him from contact with her children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, was made to protect them. Her father has never met the children.

Meghan's initial statement said the letter was sent in 2018, but she later corrected the year to 2019. A spokesperson said that if the Met holds a time-stamped record showing review 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 at the time to avoid jeopardising any investigation and because doing so could have exposed her to legal action.