Thomas Markle was accused of child abuse in a letter sent to Scotland Yard in 2018, according to reports that have now emerged.
The letter was addressed to the Metropolitan Police’s Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC), a specialist unit responsible for assessing potential threats to members of the Royal Family and other prominent individuals. It allegedly accused Thomas Markle Snr of sexually abusing a child.
The writer also claimed that the 82-year-old had acknowledged travelling to Thailand and the Philippines to abuse children. The allegations have not been proven.
The disclosure follows comments from the Duchess of Sussex, who said yesterday that she learned of the “troubling and disturbing” allegations shortly after her wedding to Prince Harry and was told they were being investigated.
However, the Metropolitan Police said on Friday that it could not confirm whether officers had ever passed the letter to Meghan, despite her claim that it was shared with her.
The Sun has reportedly obtained a copy of the letter, confirming its existence after Meghan spoke publicly about the claims.
The document is understood to have since been provided to police, who are carrying out internal inquiries to establish whether it was passed to the Duchess in 2018.
Meghan Markle pictured with her father, Thomas Markle, in 2011. The pair have been estranged since 2018
The development follows the Duchess of Sussex’s disclosure that she was told about the “troubling and disturbing” allegations
Meghan’s brother, Thomas Markle Jr, reportedly claimed he discovered the alleged child abuse material
In a statement, the Met said: “We are aware of media reports that officers from the Met’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command were involved in passing on a letter in 2018.
“We are undertaking internal inquiries in an effort to confirm this.”
The Daily Mail understands that the Met has never previously investigated Thomas Sr and is not currently conducting an investigation into him.
The force has also not confirmed whether any information was referred to law enforcement authorities overseas.
One source told The Sun: “Questions must be asked about whether the Met ever acted on the information contained in the letter.
“They promised Meghan they were investigating, but nothing appears to have been done at all.”
The latest claims follow allegations that Mr Markle had boxes containing child sexual abuse images at his former home in the Philippines.
His son, Thomas Markle Jnr, has reportedly accused him of possessing the material. Mr Markle Snr has strongly denied the allegations.
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Meghan said in a statement this morning: “I am deeply distressed by the news that has emerged over the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed.
“In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me.
‘It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.
‘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.
The letter is believed to have been sent to the Duchess during summer 2018, soon after she married Harry in May that year at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle (pictured)
Thomas Sr recovering in a hospital bed after surgery in the Philippines last December
Samantha Markle, left, pictured with her father Thomas Sr and brother Thomas Jnr
‘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.’
The 82-year-old is facing ‘sickening’ allegations that he possessed a horde of child sex abuse material which included videos of girls under 12 involved in sex acts.
Meghan’s half-brother Thomas Markle Jr made allegations overnight that he had found a large stash of child sex abuse images on computers and phones in four large storage boxes ‘left behind’ by Thomas Sr when he moved back to the US from the Philippines earlier this year.
The material is said to have been discovered in his home in the Philippines.
A specialist unit is investigating the claims in the Philippines, while the FBI has also been made aware of the allegations and is thought to be considering its own probe.
It was confirmed today that the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Philippines is investigating reports involving ‘an American national in his 80s’ who is accused of leaving child abuse videos and photos in his home in Cebu province.
Mr Markle, a former Hollywood lighting director, has strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as ‘sick lies’ and ‘the worst thing anyone could accuse me of’.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: ‘I’m shocked, I’m hurt and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me.’
The Duchess has been estranged from her father since her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018, with Mr Markle never having met the couple’s two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.