Met Police Confirm 2019 Letter Triggering Review of Thomas Markle Handling

London's Metropolitan Police confirmed on Saturday that it received a letter in 2019 containing a series of claims regarding Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. The force stated it is now reviewing how the matter was handled during that period.

The review will determine whether the Met refers itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the national police watchdog. A Scotland Yard spokesperson disclosed the existence of the letter to CBS News on Saturday. According to police, the document was forwarded to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness, but its specific allegations were not shared with other law enforcement agencies at the time.

The confirmation follows a week of reporting on Markle's legal status in the Philippines. The Sun reported on Thursday that Markle had been reported to Philippine authorities by his son, Thomas Markle Jr., who allegedly found child abuse materials in storage boxes at their shared home. By Friday, reports indicated that Philippine authorities were addressing Markle over alleged possession of child sexual abuse materials. The Daily Mail noted that Markle denied the allegations in a statement.

Meghan addressed the renewed scrutiny in a statement sent to CBS News on Friday. She described herself as deeply distressed by the reports and stated she had known of the allegations since 2018. She explained that a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and the Royalty and Specialist Protection unit that year, and that she was subsequently shared the document. The Duchess said the letter contained troubling allegations and that she was given assurances an investigation was underway.

The accounts differ on the timing of the initial report. Meghan's statement references a letter sent in 2018, while the Metropolitan Police identified the letter it received in 2019. A spokesman for the Duchess told BBC News that any discrepancy of a few months was an understandable consequence of the passage of time.

Meghan also addressed her limited contact with her father. She said she had kept her distance to protect her children, noting that her decision to restrict contact had one primary reason: to protect them from the allegations.

The Metropolitan Police said the internal review of the 2019 handling is currently underway. The outcome will determine if the case is escalated to the independent police oversight body.