Metropolitan Police Refer Themselves to Watchdog Over Unpassed Meghan Markle Warning Letter
The Metropolitan Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct regarding their 2019 handling of a warning letter that detailed allegations against Thomas Markle, the father of the Duchess of Sussex. The force admitted failing to pass the contents of the letter on to international law enforcement agencies.
The document, which was allegedly written by Thomas Markle’s former wife, was initially forwarded to the private office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they were working royals. While the letter did not contain any information specifically related to security matters, it outlined claims of unlawful activity spanning the United States, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Watchdog Assessment and Missing Files
The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed receipt of the voluntary conduct referral from the Met. An IOPC spokesperson stated that investigators are currently assessing the material to decide what further action is required, which could include an independent inquiry or returning the matter to the Met for investigation.
Compounding the force’s difficulties, the Metropolitan Police cannot locate a copy of the 2019 warning letter within their systems. To better understand the decision-making process from seven years ago, the Met asked the Duchess of Sussex to supply the copy sent to her private office at the time, which she provided.
Family Reactions and Ongoing Philippine Investigation
Meanwhile, authorities and officials in the Philippines are examining digital images alleged to belong to the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex, and alleged to have been found at his former home in the south-east Asian country. Thomas Markle Jr. reported the alleged discovery of child sexual abuse images to Philippine authorities. Thomas Markle denies all allegations of wrongdoing.
Noelle Rasmussen, the granddaughter of Thomas Markle and the late Roslyn Loveless, spoke about the allegations in an interview with the Telegraph, as covered by Town & Country Magazine. Rasmussen criticized the Metropolitan Police for failing to act when her grandmother originally sent warnings to law enforcement and Child Protective Services.
“If she put something in a letter, it’s more than likely what she had seen to be the truth or what she had experienced,” Rasmussen said. She also expressed support for Meghan Markle’s decision to maintain distance from her father, stating she would not want children around someone facing such accusations.
Last week, the Duchess of Sussex released a statement addressing the developments. “I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,” the Duchess of Sussex said, adding that her choice to distance her family from her father was intended to protect her children.
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