Report says Thomas Markle’s first wife sent 2019 abuse allegation letter
Developed over time first seen 1 hour ago
A 2019 letter to the Metropolitan Police reporting allegations of child sexual abuse against Thomas Markle was reportedly sent by his first wife, Roslyn Loveless. Markle, the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex, denies the allegations and says he does not believe Loveless wrote the letter, describing the claim as a possible set-up.
The report says Loveless, who was married to Markle from 1964 to 1975 and died in 2024, sent the letter; the claim has not been independently established in the article. Markle is also under investigation in the Philippines over alleged possession of child abuse images, which he denies, after his son said he found and handed material to police. Questions have also been raised about the Met’s handling of the letter and when Meghan was informed.
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In short
- A 2019 police letter was reportedly sent by Markle’s first wife.
- Markle denies the allegations and disputes who wrote the letter.
- Philippine authorities are investigating claims involving alleged images.
How this story developed
- 38 minutes ago A 2019 letter to the Metropolitan Police reporting allegations of child sexual abuse against Thomas Markle was reportedly sent by his first wife, Roslyn Loveless.
Full account
A letter raising allegations of child sexual abuse against Thomas Markle, the Duchess of Sussex’s estranged father, was sent to the Metropolitan Police by his first wife, according to a report attributed to the New York Post. Roslyn Loveless, who was married to Mr Markle from 1964 to 1975 and died in 2024, is said to have sent it in 2019. The allegation in the letter has not been established, and Mr Markle denies it.
Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Mr Markle said he doubted that Ms Loveless had written the letter. He described their relationship after the divorce as generally cordial because of their children, and suggested that someone else might have influenced her. He asked to see the letter and questioned why its reported authorship had emerged now. His account cannot be checked with Ms Loveless, who is no longer alive to respond.
The reporting has also raised questions about when the police received the allegations and what they did with them. Meghan previously said she had learned of the allegations in 2018 through a letter passed to her by Metropolitan Police detectives; the force has since said it informed her in 2019. She said she had been assured the matter was being investigated and expressed concern for any children who might have been harmed. Separately, authorities in the Philippines are reported to be investigating an allegation that Mr Markle possessed child sexual abuse images. He denies that allegation too.
A second account focuses on a different letter: one Meghan sent to her father while he was recovering from a leg amputation in a hospital in Cebu in December. Its writer describes witnessing the delivery but says they did not read the letter. Citing The Sun, the account says Meghan wrote that she believed her father had abused young girls and that he would not meet her children. Those reported contents remain second-hand in that account. Taken together, the reports describe a family dispute unfolding alongside serious allegations and reported police inquiries, while leaving key questions about the letters and the evidence behind the allegations unresolved.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
Source 1 centres on the reported identity of the person who sent the 2019 letter to police, Mr Markle’s denial and the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the allegations. Source 2 centres on the delivery of Meghan’s later letter in hospital; its description of that letter’s contents is attributed to The Sun, while its writer says they did not read it.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
If the report is accurate, the letter may represent a serious allegation that police had reason to assess, particularly given the separate investigation in the Philippines. Taking reports of possible abuse seriously and examining how the Met handled the information are important for safeguarding and public accountability.
The case against
The letter’s authorship and the allegation have not been independently established in the article, and Markle denies both the abuse claim and that Loveless wrote it. Fairness requires treating the allegation as unproven, avoiding conclusions based on the separate investigation, and ensuring any inquiry respects due process while clarifying how the letter was handled.
Explained simply
Thomas Markle is the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and was married to Roslyn Loveless from 1964 to 1975. Their marriage ended decades before Meghan joined the British royal family; Markle and his daughter are now estranged.
The allegations concern reports of child sexual abuse and images, which Markle denies. He is also being investigated in the Philippines after his son said he found material and gave it to police. The case matters because it involves serious allegations, questions about police handling and the timing of any notification to Meghan.
Coverage · 2 sources
Bias meters
From 2 rated sources.
- Daily MailRightReport says Thomas Markle’s first wife sent 2019 abuse allegation letter
- Daily MailRightMy video of the moment Thomas Markle received letter from Meghan accusing him of abusing young girls. I was there and know exactly what happened next. And I can reveal secret of why he's only speaking out now, by CAROLINE GRAHAM
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Letter handed to Met Police accusing Thomas Markle of child sex abuse ‘was sent by his ex-wife’”.