Meghan Markle Says Police Were Alerted to Allegations Against Her Father Eight Years Ago

Meghan Markle has revealed that British police received disturbing allegations concerning her father. The Duchess of Sussex, 45, disclosed the existence of a 2018 letter in a statement on Friday, 23 October, following reports involving her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr.

Meghan said the letter had been sent to the Metropolitan Police and its Royalty and Specialist Protection unit before being shared with her. She said she subsequently received assurances that the allegations were under investigation, although her statement did not identify who had provided those assurances.

2018 Police Letter Emerges Amid New Allegations

Speaking to Sky News, Meghan described being informed of serious accusations involving her father in 2018. She said the information had been passed to police responsible for protecting members of the royal family, although she did not identify who originally submitted the letter or specify precisely what it alleged.

'I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,' Meghan told Sky News. 'In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me.'

'It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,' Meghan added. She also said she had received assurances that the allegations were being investigated. She also attributed her decision to prevent her father from having contact with her children to concerns about their safety, disputing media accounts of the reasons behind their estrangement.

She said she had believed the authorities were taking steps to protect other families and expressed horror at the extent of the allegations that had since emerged. 'I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications' distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them. I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families,' Meghan said.

'Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.'

Half-Brother Reports Alleged Discovery

Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., has alleged that he discovered suspected child sexual abuse material among belongings at a property in Cebu, Philippines. According to The Sun, he claimed the material included images and videos stored on electronic devices. Thomas Markle Sr. has denied the allegations.

Thomas Jr., 60, told The Sun that he contacted US authorities in July before reporting his allegations to investigators in the Philippines. He claimed the material included videos involving children. The allegations have not been independently substantiated by publicly available forensic evidence, and ownership of the devices remains disputed.

Philippine Authorities Confirm Investigation

The Philippine Department of Justice confirmed on Friday that its specialist unit dealing with trafficking and online child exploitation was examining the allegations. Undersecretary Nicolas Ty identified Thomas Markle Sr. as the subject of the inquiry, according to the Philippine News Agency.

The investigation has not resulted in any publicly announced criminal charges. Thomas Markle Sr., 82, has strongly rejected his son's accusations. Speaking to the Daily Mail from a rehabilitation facility in Florida, he denied possessing the alleged material and questioned his son's motives.