Met Police Meghan Markle Father Letter, Why the Met Did Not Share Thomas Markle Allegations With Other Authorities

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that it received a letter in January 2019 containing allegations of possible criminal conduct involving Thomas Markle Sr., the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. The force passed the letter to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s office but did not share the details with other law enforcement agencies.

Current status (as of October 24, 2026): The Met says it is reviewing how it handled the letter and considering whether to refer the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). No IOPC investigation has been confirmed. Separately, Philippine authorities are investigating allegations made by Thomas Markle Jr. about suspected material at his father’s former home in Cebu. Thomas Markle Sr. denies them. No criminal charge, arrest or conviction against Markle Sr. was verified in the reports reviewed, and the allegations remain unproven.

The central distinction: the Met is reviewing its own handling of the earlier letter, while authorities in the Philippines are investigating the separate, more recent allegations.

Metropolitan Police–Meghan Markle Letter: Quick Facts

Detail	What is known
Police force	Metropolitan Police Service, London
Person named in the allegations	Thomas Markle Sr.
Letter received by the Met	January 2019, according to police records
Why the Met received it	Sent to raise concerns relating to Meghan’s security
What police did	Reviewed the letter and passed it to the Sussexes’ office
Shared with other law enforcement?	No, according to the Met’s October 24 statement
Current Met action	Reviewing its handling; considering an IOPC referral
IOPC investigation	Not confirmed
Philippine investigation	Confirmed by Philippine officials, per AP and ITV News
FBI involvement	Says it is aware and will support Philippine authorities; will investigate related allegations of federal violations as appropriate
Thomas Markle Sr.’s response	Denies the allegations
Criminal charge or conviction	None publicly verified
Court case number	None identified

Timeline: From the Letter to the Met’s Review

Date	Event
2018	Date Meghan gives for a letter sent to the Met’s Royalty and Specialist Protection, later shared with her
January 2019	Date the Met’s records show it received the letter
2025	Thomas Markle Sr. reportedly relocates to Cebu, Philippines, with his son Thomas Markle Jr.
Late 2025	Markle Sr. reportedly suffers a stroke and blood clot and has a leg amputated; he later returns to the U.S.
October 22, 2026	The Sun and other outlets report Markle Jr.’s claim about suspected material found at the Cebu home
October 23, 2026	Meghan issues a statement; Philippine officials confirm an investigation; the Met says it is making enquiries internally
October 24, 2026	Met confirms receipt in January 2019, that it did not share details with other law enforcement, and that it is considering an IOPC referral

Dates for events before October 2026 come from media reports and the parties’ statements and have not been independently verified from official records.

Key People and Terms

• Thomas Markle Sr.: Meghan’s father, 82. He denies the allegations, calling them lies, and reportedly believes his son is trying to destroy him.
• Thomas Markle Jr.: Meghan’s half-brother, who made the reported discovery at the Cebu property and says he reported it to authorities. Some reports say reports were also made to U.S. bodies, including Pennsylvania state police and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, earlier in 2026. Those details are not independently verified.
• Royalty and Specialist Protection (Protection Command): the Met unit responsible for protecting members of the royal family and certain other public figures.
• Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC): a joint police and mental-health unit that assesses people who may pose a risk to public figures. ITV reported the letter was addressed to it.
• OSAEC: online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, the term used by the Philippine task force handling the Cebu inquiry.
• IOPC: the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the police watchdog for England and Wales.

What Did the Metropolitan Police Say About the Letter?

The Met’s October 24 statement says its records show it received the letter in January 2019. The letter contained claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom and was sent to its Protection Command to raise concerns about the Duchess’s security. Officers reviewed it, decided it should be passed to the couple’s office for their awareness, and did not share the details with other law enforcement agencies.

The statement does not explain every consideration behind that decision, identify the officers involved, or say whether the information should have gone to authorities abroad. Those are questions a formal review could examine.

How the Met’s Position Developed

The Met’s first response, on October 23, was cautious. It said it was aware of media reports that officers from Royalty and Specialist Protection were involved in passing on a letter in 2018 and was making enquiries internally to confirm this. The next day it confirmed the January 2019 receipt, the handling and the possible IOPC referral. The change from “enquiries to confirm” to a confirmed account is why the date and some details in early coverage differ from the later statement.

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Did the Met Investigate Thomas Markle Sr. in 2019?

Reporting indicates the Met did not open a criminal investigation into him at the time and is not investigating him now. ITV News reported that it had seen the handwritten letter, addressed to the Met’s Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (a specialist unit dealing with risks to public figures), and that it was passed to Meghan’s protection team for delivery. ITV also reported that the letter did not allege criminal conduct within the UK.

Receiving an allegation, passing information to a person concerned about their safety, opening a criminal investigation and referring a matter to another agency are different steps. One does not establish the others.

Was the Letter Sent in 2018 or 2019?

Meghan’s October 23 statement referred to a letter sent to the Met in 2018 and later shared with her. The Met’s records show receipt in January 2019. A spokesperson for the Sussexes acknowledged a difference of a few months was understandable after so long and accepted the Met’s timestamp as the accurate reference.

Several separate events are in play and should not be merged: the original letter, when Meghan learned of it, the reported discovery in the Philippines, and the current police review.

What Was in the Letter?

ITV News said the letter ran across several pages and was written by someone connected to the Markle family, but it did not publish the allegations or names. Meghan described it as containing troubling allegations about her father. The Met says only that it contained claims of alleged offending outside the UK. The full letter has not been released, so readers cannot confirm that it covered the same issues raised in the current investigation.

How Did This Become a Major Story in October 2026?

On October 22, 2026, The Sun reported that Thomas Markle Jr., Meghan’s half-brother, said he found suspected child sexual abuse material among his father’s belongings while clearing the Cebu property, and that he reported it to authorities. His account has not been independently established through any public forensic finding.

On October 23, Meghan issued a statement. On October 24, the Met confirmed the January 2019 letter and announced its review. The result is a second line of scrutiny alongside the investigation itself: how the original letter was handled.

For the wider account of the allegations, the reported evidence and the possible Philippine and U.S. legal issues, see AllAboutLawyer’s Thomas Markle Investigation, Reported Child Sexual Abuse Material Allegations, Philippine and U.S. Laws, and Case Status.

What Did Meghan Markle Say?

Meghan said she was deeply distressed and expressed concern for any children who may have been harmed. She said the letter sent to the Met had been shared with her, that it contained troubling allegations about her father, and that she had been assured they were being investigated. She said her decision to keep distance from her father and prevent contact with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet was made to protect them, and that she had trusted authorities to protect other families.

No reviewed source alleges that Meghan was involved in the conduct under investigation. She and her father have been estranged since 2018.

What Has Thomas Markle Sr. Said?

Thomas Markle Sr., 82, has denied the allegations, telling the Daily Mail he was shocked and hurt and calling the claims lies. His denial does not establish that the allegations are false, just as his son’s accusation does not establish that they are true.

Thomas Markle Jr. said after the denial that he stands by his account and would cooperate with any forensic examination. Some outlets also quote Samantha Markle, another half-sibling, disputing the allegations. Statements from relatives are claims, not findings by police or a court.

Investigators would need to establish what the devices contain, whether any material meets the legal definition of an offense, who had access, when files were created or accessed, and whether any person knowingly possessed them. No public forensic report was identified.

Is the Metropolitan Police Under Investigation?

Not yet, on the public record. The Met has said it is reviewing its handling and considering an IOPC referral. As of October 24 it had not announced a formal referral, and a review or referral does not itself establish misconduct, negligence or concealment.

What Is the IOPC and What Could It Examine?

The IOPC oversees the police complaints system in England and Wales and independently investigates the most serious and sensitive matters. When it receives a referral, it decides whether to investigate itself, return the matter to the force, or take no further step. If it examined this matter, it could look at:

• How the force recorded and assessed the letter.
• Whether handling met applicable policy and procedure.
• Why the letter was passed to Meghan’s office instead of other law enforcement.
• Whether procedures should change for similar cases.

An IOPC review would concern police conduct and decision-making. It would not decide whether Thomas Markle Sr. committed any offense. For a separate example of how an oversight referral differs from a finding on the underlying facts, see AllAboutLawyer’s David Hearn Case, DOJ Inspector General Declines Probe. That U.S. matter operates under a different system and does not govern the Met case.

Why Didn’t the Met Share the Letter?

The Met confirms the details were not shared but has not published a full explanation. ITV’s reporting suggests the letter was handled as a security matter, since it was addressed to a threat-assessment unit and did not allege crimes in the UK. That does not settle what British authorities could or should have done. Powers and duties on information-sharing depend on the nature of the conduct, jurisdiction, the evidence available at the time and the applicable procedures. The public record does not support a conclusion that officers acted unlawfully or deliberately concealed anything.

What Are Philippine Authorities and the FBI Doing?

The alleged material was reportedly found at Markle Sr.’s former home in Cebu. Nicholas Ty, a Philippine Department of Justice undersecretary, told ITV News that the taskforce on online child sexual exploitation in Cebu was investigating. The Associated Press reported that Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the national police were investigating, and that National Bureau of Investigation director Melvin Matibag said the FBI had asked for the agency’s help. The FBI has said it is aware of the allegations, will support Philippine authorities as appropriate, and will investigate related allegations of federal violations.

These confirmations show the allegations have reached investigators. They do not show that the material has been attributed to Markle Sr. or that a court has made any finding.

What Laws Could Apply?

Philippines. Republic Act No. 11930 (2022) addresses online sexual abuse or exploitation of children and child sexual abuse or exploitation materials, including possession, production and distribution. Conduct before 2022 would raise questions about which law applied at the time, and the Philippine Constitution bars ex post facto criminal laws. The specific acts, dates and evidence are not established, so naming a particular offense or penalty would be premature.

United States. Federal law, including 18 U.S.C. § 2252A, covers certain knowing possession, receipt and distribution of such material and has specific elements and jurisdictional requirements. U.S. citizenship alone does not automatically establish federal jurisdiction. The FBI has referred to investigating possible violations, not to filing a charge.

United Kingdom. The question of how the Met handled the letter falls under the police complaints framework (including the Police Reform Act 2002), not the criminal law on the underlying allegations.

What Happens Next?

• The Met review: a decision on whether to refer the matter to the IOPC, and then the watchdog’s decision on whether to investigate.
• The Philippine inquiry: device examination, witness interviews and a decision on whether evidence supports charges.
• The FBI: assistance to Philippine authorities and any assessment of U.S. jurisdiction.

Further conclusions should wait for verified information from investigators or court records.

What to Do If You Have Information About Child Sexual Abuse Material

Public interest in this story should not lead anyone to search for, share or view the material described in the reports. Possessing or sharing such material is a serious offense in many countries, including the UK and the U.S.

• In immediate danger or an emergency (UK): call 999. For non-emergency police contact, call 101.
• Suspected child sexual abuse material online: report it to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in the UK, or to the NCMEC CyberTipline in the U.S. Do not forward or download it.
• Concerns about a child’s safety (UK): contact the NSPCC helpline or your local police or children’s services.
• Concerns about police handling of a report (England and Wales): complain to the force involved, or see the IOPC’s guide to the complaints process.

Check the official websites for current contact details before using them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Met’s January 2019 letter in the news now?

Because of the October 2026 reports about suspected material at Thomas Markle Sr.’s former home in Cebu, followed by Meghan’s statement that she had been shown a letter with allegations about her father years earlier. The Met then confirmed it had received the letter and had not shared its details with other law enforcement.

Is this a class action or a settlement?

No. It is a police-handling story and a separate criminal inquiry abroad. There is no settlement or claim form.

Was Prince Harry or Meghan accused of anything?

No reviewed source alleges wrongdoing by Meghan or Prince Harry. Their role in the story concerns what Meghan says she was told about the letter and why she kept distance from her father.

Did the Met receive a letter about Meghan Markle’s father?

Yes. On October 24, 2026, the Met confirmed it received a letter in January 2019 with claims about alleged offending outside the UK involving Thomas Markle Sr., and that it passed the letter to the Sussexes’ office.

Why didn’t the Met share the allegations with other agencies?

The Met confirmed it did not, but has not published a full explanation. It is reviewing the decision and considering an IOPC referral.

Was the letter sent in 2018 or 2019?

Meghan referred to 2018. The Met’s records show January 2019, and her spokesperson accepted the Met’s date.

Did the Met investigate Thomas Markle Sr.?

Reports say it did not open a criminal investigation at the time and is not currently investigating him.

Has the IOPC opened an investigation?

Not as of October 24, 2026. The Met said it was considering whether to refer the matter.

What did Meghan say?

She said she was deeply distressed, that a letter with troubling allegations about her father had been shared with her, and that her decision to keep her children away from him was to protect them.

Has Thomas Markle Sr. denied the allegations?

Yes. He called them lies. His denial does not resolve the investigation.

Are Philippine authorities investigating?

Yes, per AP and ITV News. No final finding or criminal charge has been publicly verified.

Has the FBI opened a case?

It says it is aware of the allegations, will support Philippine authorities and will investigate related allegations of federal violations. No federal charge against Markle Sr. has been verified.

Does the 2019 letter prove the current allegations?

No. The full letter is not public, so it cannot be established that it covered the same allegations now under investigation.

Bottom Line

The Met’s October 24, 2026 statement confirmed it received a letter in January 2019 containing allegations involving Thomas Markle Sr., passed it to the Sussexes’ office, and did not share it with other law enforcement. It is now reviewing its handling and considering an IOPC referral, which is separate from the Philippine investigation into the recent allegations. Thomas Markle Sr. denies them, and neither an accusation nor a denial establishes the facts.

As of October 24, 2026, no IOPC investigation, criminal charge or conviction against Thomas Markle Sr. had been confirmed. The next steps depend on the police review, any watchdog decision and the evidence gathered in the Philippines and the United States.

Sources and Verification

1. ITV News, “Met Police did not share Thomas Markle Sr. claims with other law enforcement,” October 24, 2026: https://www.itv.com/news/2026-10-24/met-police-did-not-share-thomas-markle-sr-claims-with-other-law-enforcement
2. Associated Press, “UK police says letter with claims against Meghan’s father was not shared with other law enforcement,” October 24, 2026: https://apnews.com/article/meghan-thomas-markle-police-allegations-abuse-17ede6142ceec4836d867dc8acfcf8ca
3. Reuters, “UK Met police says it sent allegations letter to Meghan and not other forces,” October 24, 2026: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-met-police-says-it-sent-allegations-letter-meghan-not-other-forces-2026-10-24/
4. The Guardian, “Meghan says she is distressed over allegations concerning her father,” October 23, 2026: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/oct/23/meghan-duchess-of-sussex-distressed-child-sexual-abuse-image-claims-against-father
5. People, “Meghan Markle’s half-brother responds to his father’s denial,” October 24, 2026: https://people.com/meghan-markle-half-brother-responds-to-dad-denial-of-child-pornography-allegations-12191477
6. The Independent, reporting on the family responses: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/thomas-markle-meghan-met-police-abuse-images-b3072673.html
7. Independent Office for Police Conduct, About our investigations: https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/outcomes-report-23-24/about-our-investigations
8. Independent Office for Police Conduct, Guide to the complaints process: https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/complaints/guide-to-complaints-process
9. Police Reform Act 2002 (UK legislation): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/30/contents
10. ABC News (Australia), “Meghan Markle says she was told of ‘disturbing’ allegations about estranged father in 2018,” October 23, 2026: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-23/meghan-markle-father-abuse-allegations/107303754
11. Yahoo News (relaying ITV News), “Meghan’s father Thomas Markle being investigated by Philippines authorities,” October 2026: https://nz.news.yahoo.com/meghan-father-thomas-markle-being-070805645.html
12. Internet Watch Foundation, report suspected child sexual abuse imagery: https://report.iwf.org.uk
13. NCMEC CyberTipline: https://report.cybertip.org

Editorial verification note: This article reflects reporting and statements available as of October 24, 2026. The Met’s statement confirms receipt and handling of the letter, but the full letter is not public. The allegations remain unproven and are not described as established facts. The status of any IOPC referral or criminal investigation should be updated only when confirmed by the relevant authority.

Informational disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. AllAboutLawyer.com is a legal information website, not a law firm. Allegations, police inquiries, watchdog referrals and criminal charges are distinct legal events. No conclusion about any individual’s guilt or any officer’s misconduct should be drawn without verified evidence and due process.