2019: The Year London Police Shared Father's Abuse Letter with Sussexes

The Metropolitan Police have officially acknowledged that they delivered a confidential letter to the office of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2019. The document contained serious accusations of alleged offending by Meghan's father, Thomas Markle Sr. This confirmation resolves a lingering question about when the couple first received notice of the claims.

The revelation follows new reports that broke on Friday. These reports allege that Markle Sr possessed a significant collection of child sexual abuse images. According to The Sun, Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, discovered the files. He stated that he found hundreds, if not thousands, of images stored on computers and mobile phones. These devices were kept in four large boxes at his father's former residence in Cebu, Philippines.

Markle Sr lived in that location until he returned to the United States in May following a stroke. His son, who is 60 years old, told detectives in the Philippines about the discovery. He also indicated that he had reached out to the FBI in the US. Despite the severity of the claims, Markle Sr has denied the allegations. In a comment to the Daily Mail, he described the accusations as sick lies.

Scotland Yard explained that the letter in question was received in January 2019. It outlined claims about offending that took place outside of Britain. The force stated that the information was sent to the Protection Command to raise security concerns for the Duchess. After reviewing the document, officers decided to pass it to the Sussexes for their awareness. Notably, the Met said the letter was not shared with other law enforcement agencies at that time.

A spokesperson for the Met noted that the force has conducted a thorough review of its records. The department is now assessing how the situation was managed in 2019. It is considering whether to refer the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which oversees police conduct in England and Wales.

On Friday, Meghan addressed the news through a spokesperson. She described herself as deeply distressed by the developments. She expressed her thoughts for any children who may have been harmed. The duchess confirmed that she had been given assurances that the troubling allegations were under investigation. She stated that her decision to limit contact with her father was made solely to protect her children.

Meghan and her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, have not met their grandfather in years. The couple recently returned to the UK from the US. Meghan initially said the letter was sent in 2018 but later corrected this, confirming it was 2019. Her spokesperson explained that such a minor error was understandable given the age of the events.

The spokesperson added that if the Met holds a time-stamped record showing a 2019 review, that should be the accurate reference. Sources close to the situation indicated that Meghan could not speak publicly in 2019. Doing so might have jeopardized a future investigation or led to legal action against her.