The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the police watchdog over a 2019 letter it passed to Meghan Markle concerning her father.
The force gave the Duke and Duchess of Sussex a letter containing allegations about Thomas Markle Sr, now 82, in 2019. The document included “a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom”.
However, the Met did not share the letter or details of the alleged offences with other law enforcement agencies, nor did it open an investigation into Mr Markle.
The force has now referred its handling of the letter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). It also said it intends to make “a number of referrals to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies” regarding the allegations contained in the document.
The letter is understood to have been written by Mr Markle’s late first wife, Roslyn Loveless. It reportedly contained “troubling and disturbing” allegations about the Duchess of Sussex’s father.
Last week, it emerged that Meghan was allegedly told the claims in the letter were being investigated.
The development follows claims by Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, who said he had discovered a large collection of child sexual abuse images among his father’s belongings at his home in the Philippines.
Mr Markle Sr has been accused of possessing what was described as a “sickening” collection of child abuse images, including videos allegedly showing girls no older than 10 or 11 engaged in sexual acts.
Thomas Jr said he found the material in July this year while searching through his father’s boxes for a phone for his fiancée, Rose. His father had returned to the United States for medical treatment.
Meghan and her father Thomas Sr have been estranged since 2018, the year she married Harry
Thomas Markle Jr, Meghan’s brother, claimed to have found the child-abuse material packed up in boxes at his father’s Philippines home
He also allegedly discovered a 15-minute video showing naked girls on an old cellphone belonging to his father, along with “hundreds” of indecent images reportedly depicting children as young as toddlers.
Authorities in the Philippines have opened an investigation. A court issued a warrant today allowing police to examine the digital material handed over by Thomas Jr, while the FBI is also said to be poised to join the inquiry.
Announcing the referral to the IOPC, Commander Adam Slonecki, who leads the Metropolitan Police’s Protection Command, said: “In January 2019, the Met received a letter addressed to our Protection Command, specifically the Fixated Threats Assessment Centre.
“The author of the letter suggested they were writing to raise concerns relating to the security of the Duchess of Sussex. While the letter did not actually contain any information specifically related to security matters, it did contain a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom.
“The letter was assessed and subsequently 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.
“In recent days, the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards has carried out an initial review into our actions following receipt of the letter in 2019.
“Following that review, a voluntary referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in respect of the decision not to inform other law enforcement agencies, and the decision to pass the letter to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
“In addition, it is our intention to make a number of referrals to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies in relation to the allegations contained within the letter. That process is underway and will be completed in the coming days.”
The Duchess of Sussex on a visit to the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham earlier this month
Thomas Sr recovering in a hospital bed after surgery in the Philippines last December
Thomas Jr said last week that he found “hundreds” of child sexual abuse images in four boxes stored at his father’s home in Cebu, Philippines. The boxes reportedly contained several digital devices.
One 35mm photograph allegedly shows a bearded man resembling Mr Markle having sex with a young Asian girl. “I have never been in a photograph like that,” Mr Markle Sr said on Saturday.
Mr Markle Sr denies the allegations, describing them as “sick lies” and saying he will do “whatever it takes” to clear his name.
He is currently undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation centre in Florida after having his left leg amputated.
The Duchess of Sussex said last week that she first learned of “troubling and disturbing” allegations about her father after royal protection officers passed the letter to her. She said she had been assured that the claims were being investigated.
“I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,” she said.
“I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them.
“I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.
“Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.”
A court in the Philippines has issued a warrant allowing police to examine the material handed over by Thomas Jr, it was reported today.
Philippine Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla previously said forensic analysis was expected to be completed within a week. However, he added that “right now all signs point to a possible sex offender of the grossest kind”.
Although Meghan became publicly estranged from her father in 2018, before her wedding to Prince Harry, she reportedly sent him a letter last year saying she would never contact him again and that he would not meet his grandchildren. She allegedly said this was because she and the authorities knew he had abused young girls.
An IOPC spokesperson said: “We have received a voluntary conduct referral from the Met Police, which relates to the handling of a letter it received in 2019 involving allegations of offending.
“We are now assessing the referral before deciding what further action may be required.”
This is a breaking news story and is being updated.
