The police watchdog has confirmed it will investigate the Metropolitan Police’s handling of a letter concerning Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle Sr.
The Met gave the letter to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2019. It contained “a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom” involving Markle Sr, now 82.
However, the force did not share a copy of the letter or details of the alleged offences with other law enforcement agencies, nor did it open its own investigation into Markle Sr.
The decision follows claims made last week by Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, who said he had uncovered a collection of child sexual abuse images among his father’s belongings at his home in the Philippines.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed today that it will investigate after the Metropolitan Police referred itself over the way it dealt with the letter.
The investigation will examine the “failure to pass on allegations of serious offending” to overseas authorities. A separate matter involving an alleged data breach, linked to the letter being passed to the Sussexes, has instead been returned to the Met for investigation.
An IOPC spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “Following a voluntary conduct referral from the Met Police, we have decided an independent investigation is required into its failure to pass on allegations of serious offending, contained in a letter it received in 2019, to relevant overseas authorities at the time.
“We have decided that a further conduct matter – relating to an alleged data breach where information was passed on to a third party – should be returned to the force to be appropriately dealt with including via its data breach policies if required.”
Meghan and her father, Thomas Markle Sr, have been estranged since 2018, when she married Prince Harry
Meghan’s brother, Thomas Markle Jr, said he found the alleged child-abuse material packed in boxes at his father’s home in the Philippines
The Met said yesterday that it now plans to make “a number of referrals to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies” concerning the claims contained in the letter.
The letter is understood to have been written by Markle Sr’s late first wife, Roslyn Loveless. It reportedly contained “troubling and disturbing” allegations about the Duchess of Sussex’s father.
Last week, reports said Meghan had been told that the allegations made in the letter were being investigated.
Markle Sr has been accused of possessing a “sickening” collection of child abuse images, including videos allegedly showing girls no older than 10 or 11 involved in sexual acts.
Thomas Jr said he discovered the material in July this year while searching through his father’s boxes for a phone for his fiancée, Rose. His father had returned to the United States for medical treatment at the time.
He also allegedly found a 15-minute video showing naked girls on his father’s old phone, along with “hundreds” of indecent images that reportedly included pictures of children as young as toddlers.
Authorities in the Philippines have opened an investigation. A court today issued them with a warrant allowing officers to examine digital material handed over by Thomas Jr, while the FBI is also reportedly preparing to join the probe.
Announcing the referral to the IOPC today, Commander Adam Slonecki, who heads the Metropolitan Police’s Protection Command, said: “In January 2019, the Met received a letter addressed to our Protection Command, specifically the Fixated Threats Assessment Centre.
“The author of the letter suggested they were writing to raise concerns about the Duchess of Sussex’s security. Although the letter did not contain information specifically related to security matters, it did include a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom.
“The letter was assessed and subsequently passed to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. The details of the allegations contained in the letter were not shared with other law enforcement agencies.”
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Man Accused of Abusing Councillor’s Wife ‘Did Not Know’ She Was Drugged
‘In recent days, the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards has carried out an initial review into our actions following receipt of the letter in 2019.
‘Following that review, a voluntary referral has been made to the IOPC in respect of the decision not to inform other law enforcement agencies, and the decision to pass the letter to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
‘In addition, it is our intention to make a number of referrals to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies in relation to the allegations contained within the letter. That process is underway and will be completed in the coming days.’
The Duchess of Sussex on a visit to the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham earlier this month
Markle Sr recovering in a hospital bed after surgery in the Philippines last December
The 82-year-old moved to a home in this apartment block in Cebu in the Philippines last year
Thomas Jr said last week he found ‘hundreds’ of child sex abuse images in four boxes stored at his father’s home in Cebu in the Philippines, which contained multiple digital devices.
One 35mm photograph reportedly shows a bearded man resembling Mr Markle having sex with a young Asian girl. ‘I have never been in a photograph like that,’ Markle Sr said on Saturday.
Markle Sr denies the allegations, calling them ‘sick lies’ and says he will do ‘whatever it takes’ to clear his name.
He is currently receiving medical treatment in a rehabilitation centre in Florida after having his left leg amputated.
The Duchess of Sussex released a statement last week saying she was first made aware of ‘troubling and disturbing’ allegations about her father after a letter was passed to her by royal protection officers. She added she was given assurances the claims were being investigated.
‘I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,’ she said.
‘I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them.
‘I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.
‘Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.’
Today it was reported a court in the Philippines has issued a warrant allowing police in the country to examine the material passed to them by Thomas Jr.
Philippine interior minister Jonvic Remulla previously said the forensics data is expected to be completed in a week but ‘right now all signs point to a possible sex offender of the grossest kind’.
Although Meghan became publicly estranged from her father in 2018, prior to her wedding to Prince Harry, she last year sent a letter to him informing him she would never contact him again, and he would not meet his grandchildren. She reportedly said this is due to her, and authorities, knowing he had abused young girls.
An IOPC spokesman said: ‘We have received a voluntary conduct referral from the Met Police, which relates to the handling of a letter it received in 2019 involving allegations of offending.
‘We are now assessing the referral before deciding what further action may be required.’
ALSO READ: Justin Ross Harris Freed After 11 Years for Son’s Tragic Hot Car Incident