Met Police Sent Markle Letter to Sussex Office, Not Other Forces

The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday that it received a letter in January 2019 regarding allegations of 'alleged offending' involving Thomas Markle Sr. The force stated it shared this information with the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. However, police did not pass the letter to other law enforcement agencies.

Reports emerged earlier on Friday about child sexual abuse images allegedly linked to Markle Sr. Thomas Markle Jr. told The Sun he found the images at his father's former home in Cebu, Philippines. He said he discovered hundreds or thousands of images on devices stored in boxes at the house. Markle Jr. also said he contacted the FBI in the US.

Markle Sr. denied the claims. He called the accusations 'sick lies' in a statement to the Daily Mail.

A spokesperson for the Met Police said the force reviewed its records. The letter had been sent to the Protection Command to raise security concerns for the Duchess of Sussex. Police decided to forward the letter to the couple's office for awareness. The force is now reviewing how it handled the matter in 2019. It is considering a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, responded to the reports on Friday. A spokesperson said she was 'deeply distressed' by the news. She said her thoughts are with any children harmed. Meghan stated she received a letter with troubling allegations about her father. She also said she was told the matter was under investigation.

Meghan explained her decision to keep her father away from her children. She said the choice was made to protect them. The Duchess is estranged from her father. He has never met Prince Archie, 7, or Princess Lilibet, 5.

There was a correction regarding the timeline. Meghan's initial statement said the letter was sent in 2018. She later corrected the date to 2019. A spokesperson said it is understandable to misremember dates from over seven years ago without a record. The spokesperson said the Met's time-stamped record from 2019 is the accurate reference.

Sources said Meghan learned of the allegations in 2019. They said she could not speak publicly at the time. Speaking out could have jeopardized an investigation or led to legal action.