Met Police Confirm 2019 Markle Complaint
The Metropolitan Police will review how it handled a 2019 letter containing allegations about the Duchess of Sussex's father, a process that may involve an external watchdog.
By Alina Carter ·
London's Metropolitan Police confirmed on Saturday that it received a letter in 2019 containing multiple claims regarding Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. The confirmation resolves a timing dispute that emerged after reports surfaced this week detailing new allegations against Markle in the Philippines.
The incident traces back to a series of disclosures beginning on Thursday. The Sun reported that Thomas Markle Jr. had filed a complaint with authorities in the Philippines after finding child abuse materials in storage boxes at the family home. By Friday, reports indicated that Philippine authorities were investigating Markle for alleged possession of child sexual abuse materials, a claim Markle denied in an interview with The Daily Mail.
Meghan addressed the reports in a statement sent to CBS News on Friday. She described herself as deeply distressed by the news. The duchess stated that she had been aware of the allegations since 2018 and that they were shared with U.K. authorities at that time. She explained that she had limited contact with her father to protect her children, stating that her decision had one reason: to protect them.
A discrepancy exists between the accounts regarding the timeline of the police contact. Meghan's statement referenced a letter sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018. Scotland Yard has now identified the letter as arriving in 2019. A spokesman for the duchess told BBC News that any discrepancy of a few months was an understandable consequence of the passage of time.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the 2019 letter was sent to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. The details of the allegations contained within the document were not shared with other law enforcement agencies at that time.
The Met Police will now review how the matter was handled in 2019. As part of this internal examination, the force will determine whether to refer the case to the independent police watchdog for further scrutiny.
