Met Police refers itself to watchdog over Thomas Markle letter
The force is being scrutinised for its handling of a letter containing allegations against Meghan's father.
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Both sources cite the Metropolitan Police directly and quote former head of CEOP Jim Gamble.
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Both articles clearly separate fact from comment and provide specific details about the letter and its handling.
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The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of a letter containing allegations against Thomas Markle, the father of the Duchess of Sussex. The force confirmed the voluntary referral followed an initial review by its Directorate of Professional Standards.
The letter, written by Mr Markle's first wife Roslyn Loveless, was received by the Met's Protection Command in January 2019. Commander Adam Slonecki stated that while the author raised concerns about the security of the Duchess of Sussex, the letter also contained claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom.
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Letter passed to Sussexes' office
Instead of sharing the allegations with other law enforcement agencies, the Metropolitan Police assessed the letter and passed it to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. Commander Slonecki confirmed that the details of the allegations were not shared with other law enforcement bodies. The Met stated that no investigation took place within the UK due to a lack of jurisdiction.
The referral to the IOPC specifically covers the decision not to inform other law enforcement agencies and the decision to pass the letter to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The BBC understands that Roslyn Loveless, who divorced Thomas Markle in 1975, died in 2024.
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Allegations and denials
Thomas Markle has strongly denied the allegations against him, describing them as "sick lies". An investigation into similar allegations is currently underway in the Philippines, where Mr Markle was reportedly reported to authorities by his son after allegedly being found in possession of a large collection of suspected child sexual abuse material. A government minister in the Philippines described him as a "possible sex offender of the grossest kind".
The Duchess of Sussex stated last week that the letter had "made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father". She said she was informed about the allegations in 2018 and that they gave her sufficient reason for not visiting her father or allowing him to meet his grandchildren. She added that she believed the allegations were being investigated.
Jim Gamble, former head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he would have expected police to share such warnings. Noel Rasmussen, Thomas Markle's granddaughter, expressed concern about the police handling of the information, stating that "those questions deserve clear, transparent answers."
The Metropolitan Police indicated its intention to make further referrals to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies in the coming days.
Questions this report answers
+Why has the Metropolitan Police referred itself to the IOPC?
The Metropolitan Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to its handling of a letter containing allegations against Thomas Markle. The referral specifically covers the decision not to share the letter's contents with other law enforcement agencies and the decision to pass it directly to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
+What did the letter about Thomas Markle contain?
The letter, written by Thomas Markle's first wife Roslyn Loveless, contained allegations of offending outside the United Kingdom. While it mentioned concerns about the security of the Duchess of Sussex, its primary content related to alleged offending abroad.
+What happened to the letter after it was received by the Met Police?
The Metropolitan Police assessed the letter and passed it to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in January 2019 for their awareness. The force confirmed that the details of the allegations were not shared with other law enforcement agencies at that time.
+Has Thomas Markle responded to the allegations?
Thomas Markle has strongly denied all allegations made against him, describing them as "sick lies". An investigation into similar allegations is ongoing in the Philippines, where he was reportedly reported to authorities.
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