Metropolitan Police Reviews Handling of 2018 Letter About Thomas Markle
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it is conducting an internal review into reports that a letter containing allegations about Thomas Markle, the father of the Duchess of Sussex, was sent to one of its specialist units in 2018 and subsequently shared with Meghan. The development comes after Meghan issued a rare public statement saying she was "deeply distressed" by recent reports that her estranged father allegedly possessed child sexual abuse images.
In a statement released Friday, Meghan said that a letter outlining "troubling and disturbing allegations" against her father was sent to the Metropolitan Police's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command (RASP) in 2018, and that the letter was later shared with her by the force. She said she was given assurances that the allegations 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.
The Met said in a statement: "We are aware of media reports that officers from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command were involved in the passing on of a letter in 2018. We are undertaking inquiries internally in an effort to confirm this." The force clarified that it is not investigating Thomas Markle, who is 82 and lives in the United States, and that the inquiry is focused on confirming whether the letter was passed on as claimed. According to The Sun, the letter was sent to the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, a unit tasked with dealing with individuals posing a threat to royals and politicians.
Thomas Markle has strenuously denied the allegations, calling them "sick lies" in a statement to the Daily Mail. He added that they were "the worst thing anyone could accuse me of." The allegations were first reported by The Sun on Thursday, which claimed that his son, Thomas Markle Jr., had found "hundreds, if not thousands" of child sexual abuse images in boxes at his father's former home in the Philippines and reported the discovery to the FBI and local authorities. Markle Jr. reportedly signed a sworn statement and said he would not speak to his father again unless called to give evidence against him.
Allegations Spark International Investigations
The Philippines' justice department confirmed Friday that "the matter is under investigation" but declined to provide further details. The FBI said it was "aware of the allegations and will provide support, as appropriate, to the Philippine authorities" and would investigate any related allegations of federal violations of U.S. law. Police in Cebu City, where Markle Sr.'s home is located, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Meghan's statement marks a significant shift in her public commentary on her relationship with her father, which has been strained for years. She said that when she received the letter in 2018, she was "given assurance that these were being investigated" and that she had kept her distance from her father and not allowed him contact with her children "for one reason: to protect them." She added: "I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families." The Duchess said she had been unable to speak publicly earlier to avoid jeopardising any future investigation and because speaking out could have resulted in legal action against her, according to sources cited by The Guardian.
A Long-Running Family Rift
The allegations and the Met's review bring renewed attention to the long and fraught relationship between Meghan and her father. Thomas Markle did not attend Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, citing health issues, and the pair have been largely estranged since. Meghan's statement on Friday is one of the few times she has directly addressed the reasons for that distance, framing it as a protective measure for her children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5.
In her statement, Meghan 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." She added that "the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine" and expressed hope that "justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children."
The 2018 letter was reportedly sent to the Met shortly after Meghan's wedding in the summer of that year. It is understood that the Met has not previously investigated Thomas Markle, nor is it currently doing so. The force's internal inquiry is narrowly focused on confirming the claim that its officers passed the letter to the Duchess. The outcome of that review could raise questions about how the Met handles sensitive information related to the royal family and whether proper procedures were followed.
Broader Implications for Royal Protection and Public Trust
The case raises broader questions about the role of the Metropolitan Police's royalty protection units and their handling of allegations that intersect with public figures. The Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, which reportedly received the letter, is a joint police and health initiative designed to assess risks posed by individuals who fixate on public figures. Its involvement in this case suggests that the letter was treated as a potential threat-related matter, though the specific contents and the nature of the allegations have not been officially disclosed.
The timing of the revelations is also notable. The news comes amid ongoing public scrutiny of the British royal family and its relationship with the media, and it may intensify debates about privacy, protection, and the responsibilities of law enforcement when allegations involve high-profile individuals. For Meghan, the statement represents an attempt to set the record straight after years of tabloid speculation about her family rift. For the Met, the internal review will be watched closely to see whether it confirms or contradicts the claim that the letter was shared with the Duchess.
As the investigation continues, questions remain about the veracity of the allegations against Thomas Markle and the extent to which they were previously known to authorities. The FBI and Philippine authorities are conducting their own inquiries, while the Met's review is expected to conclude in the coming weeks. For now, Meghan's statement has shifted the public narrative, placing the focus on child protection and the difficult choices she says she made to safeguard her family.
The Duchess's comments also underscore the personal toll of the long-running media saga. "My sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children," she said. As the various investigations unfold, the case is likely to remain in the public eye, with implications for how allegations involving public figures are handled by both law enforcement and the media.
For those following the broader news cycle, the story is a reminder of how quickly a single report can revive long-dormant tensions and prompt fresh scrutiny of institutional responses. As the Met's review proceeds, the focus will remain on whether the force's actions in 2018 were appropriate and whether the allegations against Thomas Markle are substantiated. For now, the Duchess of Sussex has made her position clear, and the authorities on two continents are left to determine the next steps.
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