London’s Metropolitan Police received a letter containing allegations about Meghan Markle’s father in January 2019. The force passed it to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but did not share the claims with other law enforcement agencies.
The force confirmed the sequence in an October 24 statement shared with PEOPLE, following a review of its systems and records. Meghan had publicly discussed the correspondence a day earlier.
Police said the letter concerned alleged offending outside the United Kingdom. It reached the force’s Protection Command because it raised concerns about the duchess’s security.
The disclosure comes amid a Philippine investigation into allegations that Thomas Markle Sr., 82, possessed child sexual abuse material. He denies those accusations, calling them “sick lies” in comments reported by the Daily Mail.
A Handwritten Letter Reached Meghan’s Protection Team
According to ITV News royal editor Chris Ship, who has seen the document, the letter was handwritten and ran across several pages. Its author was someone close to the Markle family with connections to multiple relatives.
It was addressed to the Met’s Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, a specialist unit that assesses individuals who may pose a risk to royals, senior politicians and other prominent figures.
ITV reported that the correspondence was passed to Meghan’s police protection team to hand to her. The broadcaster has chosen not to publish the writer’s identity, the other names in the letter or its specific accusations. No U.K. criminal investigation was launched in response to the letter, according to ITV.
Meghan’s Representative Addresses the Date Discrepancy
In her October 23 statement, Meghan recalled learning about the letter in 2018, following her May wedding to Prince Harry. She described its contents as “troubling and disturbing allegations” and said she had been assured the claims were being investigated.
Responding to the Met’s records, her representative said she was reconstructing events from more than seven years earlier without a diary entry or contemporaneous record.
The spokesperson told PEOPLE that if the Met held a time-stamped record confirming that the letter was reviewed in 2019, it should be treated as the accurate reference point for when the document was received and shared with her.
A source familiar with the situation told the magazine that Meghan had been advised against speaking publicly because it could jeopardize a potential investigation.
Meghan also said her decision to prevent her father from having contact with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, was made “to protect them.”
The Met Considers a Referral to the Police Watchdog
BREAKING: Met Police told of allegations about Meghan’s father, but did not share with other forces
The Metropolitan Police said it was examining how officers handled the correspondence in 2019 and considering whether to refer the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Its statement did not announce a completed referral.
The IOPC, which oversees police complaints in England and Wales, assesses referrals before deciding whether an investigation is needed. It can investigate independently, direct an inquiry using police resources or leave an investigation to the force’s professional standards department.
Philippine Authorities Examine Materials Supplied by Thomas Markle Jr.
Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty confirmed to Reuters on October 23 that a Cebu task force addressing trafficking and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children was investigating.
Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla told the agency that Thomas Jr., Meghan’s half-brother, had given police evidence including a laptop. Thomas Jr. has said he discovered suspicious material among his father’s belongings.
Remulla also said the elder Markle, who had been living in Cebu, was believed to have returned to the United States. The FBI said it was aware of the allegations and would assist Philippine authorities as appropriate. It also said it would investigate any related allegations of violations of U.S. federal law.