Met Police refers itself to IOPC over handling of 2019 letter about Thomas Markle

Mixed · 2The Metropolitan Police has voluntarily referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of a letter containing allegations about Thomas Markle, the father of the Duchess of Sussex. 1 2 Centre · 1The referral covers two decisions: not to inform other law enforcement agencies of the letter's claims, and to pass the letter to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 1 Centre · 3The letter reached the Met's Protection Command in January 2019, addressed to its Fixated Threats Assessment Centre; its author suggested they were raising concerns about the Duchess's security, and the BBC reports it was passed to Meghan that month. 3 4 1

Right · 1Commander Adam Slonecki, head of the Met's Protection Command, said the letter "did not actually contain any information specifically related to security matters" but did contain "a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom". 2 Mixed · 2The BBC reports that the handwritten letter was written by Markle's first wife, Roslyn Loveless, who divorced him in 1975 and died in 2024, and is believed to contain claims of child sexual abuse. GB News says the nature of the allegations and the sender's identity have not been disclosed. 1 2 Mixed · 2The Met said an initial review in recent days, by its Directorate of Professional Standards, led to the referral, and that it intends to refer the allegations to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies, a process it expects to finish "in the coming days". 2 1

Centre · 1The BBC says there are reports the Met did not keep a copy of the letter and had to obtain one from the Sussexes, and that the IOPC will examine why the contents were not shared with agencies in the UK or overseas. It adds that questions are likely about what royal officials knew. 1 Centre · 1Meghan said last week that the letter made "troubling and disturbing allegations against my father" and that she believed the allegations "were being investigated". Thomas Markle strongly denies recent allegations that he possessed child abuse images, and his daughter Samantha has called them "fake". 1 Centre · 1The BBC says authorities in the Philippines have begun investigating claims from Markle's son about material alleged to contain sexual images of children, and former CEOP head Jim Gamble said he would have expected the Met to share the warning with the FBI. 1

Left · 1The Guardian, running PA copy, adds that Markle's son Thomas Markle Jr told the Sun he found a stash of child sex abuse images at his father's former home in the Philippines and reported it to local police and the FBI; it says Markle Sr has admitted paying for sex in the country but denies possessing illicit material. 4 Centre · 1The Evening Standard notes the Met has not disclosed the nature of the allegations or named the overseas jurisdictions, and that the IOPC will now consider the referral and decide whether further action is needed. 3