Met Police Admit Sharing 2019 Markle Letter with Sussex Office
Scotland Yard confirmed the document was sent only to the royal couple's office and is now under internal review.
By Elijah Fitzgerald ·
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 2019 letter detailing alleged offenses by Thomas Markle Sr. was sent exclusively to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The disclosure follows reports that Markle Sr. possessed images related to child sexual abuse.
The timeline for the incident begins in January 2019 when the Met received the letter. The document claimed Markle Sr. committed offenses outside of Britain. Police records show the letter was routed to the Protection Command to address security concerns regarding the Duchess of Sussex. The force decided to pass the document to the Sussex office for their awareness but did not share it with other law enforcement agencies.
The matter resurfaced after The Sun reported that Thomas Markle Jr., 60, told detectives in the Philippines he found hundreds or thousands of images on computers and phones in four boxes at a house in Cebu. Markle Jr. stated he contacted the FBI. Markle Sr. lived in the Philippines until May, when he returned to the US following a stroke. He has denied the claims, calling them sick lies in an interview with the Daily Mail.
A Met spokesperson stated the force has conducted a thorough review of its systems and records. The police are currently reviewing how they handled the 2019 matter. They are considering referring the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
On Friday, Meghan Markle said through a spokesperson that she was deeply distressed by the news. She stated that a letter with troubling and disturbing allegations had been shared with her and that she was given assurances an investigation was underway. She said her decision to limit her father's contact with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, was made to protect them.
Markle initially said the letter arrived in 2018 but later corrected the date to 2019. Her spokesperson said the mix-up was understandable given the time elapsed. She noted that if the Met holds a time-stamped record showing a 2019 review, that should be the accurate reference point. Sources indicated Markle could not speak publicly in 2019 to avoid jeopardizing a potential investigation or facing legal action.
The couple has recently moved back to the UK from the US. Markle Sr. has never met his grandchildren. The Met said the letter was reviewed and a decision was made to pass it to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness.
