Met Police says 2019 letter about Thomas Markle not shared with other law enforcement

The Metropolitan Police have acknowledged that they received a letter outlining allegations against Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but chose not to share the contents with external law enforcement bodies. According to Yahoo News, Scotland Yard confirmed that the document arrived through its protection command, with the stated objective of addressing security considerations surrounding the duchess. Rather than forwarding the text to criminal investigators, officers transmitted the details directly to the private office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness.

The disclosure follows widespread media coverage regarding an independent investigation in the Philippines. As reported by CBS News, Philippine National Police officials initiated inquiries after receiving storage boxes and personal items from Thomas Markle Jr., who claimed to have discovered illicit digital material at his father's former residence. The Guardian noted that local authorities seized several boxes of evidence and that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is coordinating assistance with the investigation.

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Thomas Markle Sr., living in the United States while recovering from health procedures that included a leg amputation, has forcefully denied the accusations. In an interview published by the Daily Mail, he rejected the allegations as false while acknowledging prior travel to Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex released a statement expressing deep distress over the emerging reports. Representatives for the duchess explained that any temporal discrepancy regarding the exact month or year the communication was received stemmed from the passage of time without contemporaneous diary entries.

The Metropolitan Police stated that they are reviewing their historical handling of the 2019 correspondence to evaluate whether a formal referral to the police watchdog is necessary. According to Scotland Yard, the communication arrived at the MPS Protection Command and was handled purely as a security matter concerning the Duchess of Sussex. Sources noted that although Meghan was made aware of the allegations following its receipt, she was unable to speak publicly to avoid jeopardising any potential investigation and because speaking out could have resulted in legal action against her.

In the Philippines, the investigation has expanded across multiple agencies. Philippine Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla and officials with the anti-human trafficking and child sexual exploitation task force confirmed that national police secured computers and storage media. The younger Markle stated that he felt compelled to report the find after discovering storage boxes at his father's former home in Cebu City.

Thomas Markle Sr. Has strongly protested his innocence, maintaining that he never possessed or generated illicit images. His family members have offered differing perspectives on the situation, with half-sister Samantha Markle suggesting that the materials might belong to others who had access to the stored items and questioning why the matter was not raised sooner. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex emphasized in her public statements that her primary focus remains the safety and protection of children, noting that her estrangement from her father was rooted in a desire to protect her own family.

As the legal and investigative processes unfold internationally, authorities in both the United States and the Philippines continue to examine the evidence. The Metropolitan Police's internal review regarding its handling of the 2019 correspondence remains ongoing, with officials yet to determine whether a formal referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct will proceed.