Metropolitan Police Refer Self to Watchdog Over 2019 Markle Letter
The force is investigating why a 2019 letter detailing allegations against the Duchess of Sussex's father was not shared with other agencies.
By Elena Perry ·
London’s Metropolitan Police have voluntarily referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The action follows a review of how the force handled a letter received in 2019 that contained claims regarding Thomas Markle Sr, the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
The referral specifically addresses two decisions made by the Met at the time. The force chose not to inform other law enforcement agencies about the allegations and instead passed the document directly to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The letter was addressed to the protection command’s fixated threats assessment centre. The author stated they were raising concerns related to the security of the Duchess of Sussex.
Commander Adam Slonecki, who leads the Met’s protection command, confirmed the timeline and the contents of the correspondence. He noted that while the letter did not include specific security intelligence, it listed several claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom. The force assessed the document and shared it with the royal couple for their awareness but kept the details of the allegations away from other policing bodies.
The internal review was conducted by the Met’s directorate of professional standards. Slonecki stated that the review focused on the actions taken following the receipt of the letter in January 2019. The voluntary referral to the watchdog covers the decision not to notify other agencies and the decision to pass the letter to the Sussex office.
This move coincides with active investigations in the Philippines. Local police are examining suspected child sexual abuse images reportedly found at Markle Sr’s former home. Thomas Markle Jr, the Duchess’s half-brother, told the Sun last week that he discovered the images and reported them to local police and the FBI. Markle Sr has acknowledged paying for sex in the region but denies possessing illicit material.
The Met intends to make additional referrals to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies regarding the allegations in the 2019 letter. Slonecki said this process is currently underway and will be completed in the coming days. The force aims to ensure that the specific claims contained in the document are reviewed by the appropriate jurisdictions.
