Met refers 2019 handling of Thomas Markle allegations to watchdog
The Metropolitan Police has referred its handling of a 2019 letter about allegations against Thomas Markle Sr to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The force gave the letter to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but did not share its claims of alleged offences outside the UK with other law enforcement agencies. The referral concerns both decisions.
The Met says it plans to pass the allegations to relevant overseas agencies, with that process expected to be completed in the coming days. The letter was reportedly written by Markle’s late first wife and raised concerns about the Duchess’s security, though the force says it contained no specific security information. The referral follows separate allegations by Meghan’s half-brother that he found child abuse material at their father’s home in the Philippines; authorities there have opened an investigation.
In short
- The Met referred its handling of a 2019 letter to the IOPC.
- The letter’s allegations were not shared with overseas law enforcement at the time.
- The force now plans to make referrals to relevant agencies abroad.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A watchdog referral can help establish whether the Met handled sensitive allegations and information-sharing appropriately, especially where claims involved possible offences abroad and concerns about someone’s security. Supporters of scrutiny may argue that passing the claims to relevant overseas agencies, even after a delay, is important for proper assessment and public confidence.
The case against
The Met’s decisions may have reflected caution about the letter’s provenance, the absence of specific security information, or uncertainty about whether its claims warranted wider circulation. Those defending the force could argue that sharing unverified allegations with other agencies risks unfairly harming individuals, and that the watchdog referral is a proportionate way to examine the judgement without assuming misconduct.
Explained simply
The Metropolitan Police is the force responsible for policing Greater London. The Independent Office for Police Conduct examines how police handle complaints and certain matters referred to it by forces.
Thomas Markle Sr is the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, whose husband is Prince Harry. The couple have lived outside the UK since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. The letter mentioned in this story reportedly raised concerns about the Duchess’s security and alleged offences outside the UK, bringing questions about which authorities should receive such information.
The case also sits alongside separate allegations made by Meghan’s half-brother about material he says he found at their father’s home in the Philippines. Authorities there have opened an investigation, and the allegations have not been established as fact.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Met refers itself to police watchdog after passing letter about Thomas Markle allegations to Meghan in 2019 – but failing to inform international law enforcement”.