Metropolitan Police Audit: 2019 Markle Letter Handling
London authorities confirmed receipt of a 2019 letter containing claims about Thomas Markle, prompting an internal review of how the complaint was processed.
By Eric Laurent ·
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Saturday that it received a letter in 2019 containing multiple claims regarding Thomas Markle, the father of the Duchess of Sussex. This confirmation follows reports released over the past three days detailing allegations against Markle in the Philippines. The police department stated that the letter was forwarded to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. No other law enforcement agencies received the specific details of the allegations.
The disclosure resolves a timeline discrepancy between the police and the duchess. Meghan Markle told CBS News on Friday that she had known of the allegations since 2018. In a statement sent to the outlet, she described the news as deeply distressing. She noted that a letter had been sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018. The duchess said she was given assurances that the troubling allegations were under investigation at that time.
A spokesman for the duchess addressed the difference in dates to BBC News. He described any discrepancy of a few months as an understandable consequence of the passage of time. The police spokesperson did not address the specific year in the initial confirmation to CBS News, only noting the 2019 receipt.
The police review will examine how the matter was handled in 2019. As part of this process, the Metropolitan Police will decide whether to refer itself to the independent police watchdog. The letter was not shared with other agencies, meaning the investigation remained internal to the Met and the royal household's awareness.
The confirmation comes after The Sun reported that Thomas Markle Jr. had reported his father to Philippine authorities. The younger son alleged finding child abuse materials in storage boxes at the family home. The Daily Mail reported on Friday that Markle denied the allegations while Philippine authorities dealt with the case.
Meghan stated she kept her distance from her father to protect her children. She said her decision to limit contact had one reason: to protect them. She added that media distortions over the years had complicated this understanding.
Source: CBS News
