Met Police Confirm 2019 Letter Detailing Claims About Meghan Markle's Father

A discrepancy in the timeline of a formal complaint has emerged regarding Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. London's Metropolitan Police confirmed on Saturday that they received a letter in 2019 containing multiple claims about Markle. This official confirmation follows a week of intense media scrutiny after new allegations surfaced from the Philippines. The core tension lies in the differing dates cited by the police and the duchess, with the former stating 2019 and the latter referencing 2018.

The first key point is the official acknowledgment of the document by Scotland Yard. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told CBS News that the letter arrived in 2019. The report made a number of specific claims about Thomas Markle. Upon receipt, the letter was forwarded to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. Police noted that the specific details of the allegations were not shared with other law enforcement agencies at the time of receipt.

The second key point involves the recent surge in reports from the Philippines. On Thursday, The Sun reported that Markle was reported to authorities in the Philippines by his son, Thomas Markle Jr. The younger man allegedly discovered child abuse materials in storage boxes at the family home. By Friday, reports indicated that Philippine authorities were dealing with Markle over alleged possession of child sexual abuse materials. Markle denied the allegations in a report by The Daily Mail on Friday.

The third key point centers on the Duchess of Sussex's public response. In a statement sent to CBS News on Friday, Meghan described herself as deeply distressed by the coverage. She stated that she had known of the allegations since 2018 and that they were shared with U.K. authorities at that time. She explained that she had kept her distance from her father to protect her children, emphasizing that her decision to limit contact had one primary reason: their safety.

Context for the dispute over the dates was provided by a spokesman for the duchess in comments to BBC News. The spokesman addressed the difference between the 2018 date cited by Meghan and the 2019 date cited by the police. He described any discrepancy of a few months as an understandable consequence of the passage of time. The police have stated that the Metropolitan Police will review how the matter was handled in 2019. As part of this internal review, they will decide whether to refer themselves to the police watchdog for an independent look at the process.

The situation highlights the ongoing media interest in the Markle family dynamics. The Duchess's statement noted that a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018. She claimed that letter was subsequently shared with her and made troubling and disturbing allegations against her father. She said she was given assurances that these were being investigated. The review by the Met will determine if further action is needed regarding the original handling of the case.