Met Police to Audit 2019 Markle Letter

Residents of London and readers across the globe now have a clearer picture of how British authorities processed a complaint about Thomas Markle. The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Saturday that a letter detailing allegations against Markle, the father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was received in 2019. This official verification clarifies the timeline of events that have dominated international headlines this week.

The force stated that the document contained a number of claims. After receipt, the letter was forwarded to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s office for their awareness. The specific details of the allegations were not shared with other law enforcement bodies at that time. The Met has announced it will conduct a review of how the matter was handled during that period. As part of this internal audit, the force will determine whether to refer the case to the independent police watchdog.

The confirmation follows reports published this week by British tabloids. The Sun reported on Thursday that Markle had been reported to authorities in the Philippines by his son, Thomas Markle Jr. The younger man claimed to have discovered child abuse materials in storage boxes at a family residence in the Philippines. By Friday, reports indicated that Philippine authorities were addressing Markle regarding alleged possession of child sexual abuse materials. The Daily Mail reported that Markle denied the allegations on the same day.

Meghan addressed the news in a statement sent to CBS News on Friday. She described herself as deeply distressed by the reports. She stated that she had known of the allegations since 2018. According to her account, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in that year. The letter was subsequently shared with her. It contained troubling and disturbing allegations against her father. She was given assurances that these claims were being investigated.

The Duchess also explained that she had kept her distance from her father to protect her children. She stated that her decision to limit his contact with them had one reason: to protect them. She noted that media publications had distorted this decision over the years.

A discrepancy exists between the two accounts regarding the timing of the letter. Meghan’s statement references 2018, while Scotland Yard cites 2019. A spokesman for the Duchess addressed this difference in comments to BBC News. He described the discrepancy of a few months as an understandable consequence of the passage of time. The Met’s review will now focus on the specific handling of the 2019 correspondence.