Police watchdog to investigate Metropolitan Police over Thomas Markle letter

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is opening an investigation into the Metropolitan Police over its handling of a 2019 letter about Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. BBC News reported that the police watchdog decided an investigation was required into the force's failure to pass on allegations of serious offending to overseas authorities at the time. The Guardian, LBC, Nova News, the London Evening Standard, and ITVX all reported that the Metropolitan Police referred itself to the watchdog. [1][2][4][5][6][7]

The letter warning of potential security threats was written by Markle's first wife, Roslyn Loveless. It was handed to his daughter in 2019. The Guardian reported that police in the Philippines are investigating alleged child sexual abuse images reportedly found at the former home of Thomas Markle Sr. Markle has strongly denied all allegations, describing claims that he possessed images of child abuse as sick lies. [1][2]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, the Metropolitan Police received the letter in 2019 and shared its contents with the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but did not forward the allegations to other law enforcement agencies. Metropolitan Police officials previously confirmed that they were not investigating Markle directly over the claims. [11][12]

Thomas Markle is a retired American television lighting director and director of photography who won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award in 1975 and two Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on General Hospital. His daughter Meghan is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. [8][9]