Met Police Confirm 2019 Complaint on Thomas Markle Triggered Review
Scotland Yard acknowledged a letter detailing claims about the Duchess of Sussex's father, prompting an audit of how the case was handled seven years ago.
By Marco Whitaker ·
London residents learned on Saturday that the Metropolitan Police received a formal complaint against Thomas Markle in 2019. A Scotland Yard spokesperson told CBS News that the letter contained a number of claims regarding the father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. The confirmation resolves a public question about when U.K. authorities first received written allegations about Markle.
Police stated they forwarded the 2019 letter to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. They did not share the specific details of the allegations with other law enforcement agencies at that time. The Metropolitan Police announced it will now review how the matter was handled during that period. As part of this process, the force will determine whether to refer itself to the independent police watchdog.
The police confirmation follows a wave of reports this week concerning Markle's legal status. The Sun reported on Thursday that Thomas Markle Jr., the subject's son, reported him to Philippine authorities. The younger Markle alleged he found child abuse materials in storage boxes at the family home in the Philippines. On Friday, it emerged that Philippine authorities were dealing with Markle over alleged possession of child sexual abuse materials. The Daily Mail reported on Friday that Markle denied those specific allegations.
Meghan Markle responded to the news with a statement sent to CBS News on Friday. She described herself as deeply distressed by the reports. She stated she had known of the allegations since 2018 and shared them with U.K. authorities at that time. Her statement noted that a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018 and was subsequently shared with her.
The duchess said the letter made troubling and disturbing allegations against her father. She claimed she was given assurances that the claims were being investigated. Meghan also addressed her distance from her father, stating she kept that distance to protect her children. She said her decision not to allow him contact with them had one reason: to protect them.
A date discrepancy exists between the two accounts. Meghan referenced a 2018 letter, while Scotland Yard confirmed receipt in 2019. A spokesman for the duchess told BBC News that any discrepancy of a few months is an understandable consequence of the passage of time. The Metropolitan Police audit will now examine the timeline and handling of the complaint.
The review comes as the Sussexes continue to manage their public profile following recent revelations. The police force will decide on the next steps after the internal review is complete. No further details on the specific claims in the 2019 letter have been released to the public.
