UK Met Police mislaid letter accusing Meghan Markle’s dad of serious sex offences – what did it say?
In a statement, Meghan said she was “deeply distressed at the news that has come to light”, while the force confirmed that the letter had been passed to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s office.Pics:
By 
Pics: Getty Images
The Metropolitan Police reportedly asked Meghan Markle to provide a copy of a letter containing allegations against her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., after officers were unable to locate the original.
According to The Times, the letter was sent to the force in January 2019 by Thomas’ former wife, Roslyn Loveless, who raised concerns about alleged child sexual offences and the potential security risk he posed to the Duchess of Sussex and her family.
Meghan reportedly retained a copy and shared it with police when asked.
The development comes amid separate allegations concerning Thomas, who is reportedly being investigated by authorities in the Philippines over claims that child sexual abuse material was found at his former home. He has denied the allegations.
What was in the letter sent to police?
The letter was addressed to the Metropolitan Police’s Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, a specialist unit responsible for assessing potential threats to members of the Royal Family and other public figures.
Loveless, who was married to Thomas between 1964 and 1975 and died in 2024, reportedly alleged that her former husband had committed child sexual offences. She also expressed concern about the potential risk he posed to Meghan, Prince Harry and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.
According to The Telegraph, which reportedly saw a copy of the letter, Loveless believed it was important for UK security and threat assessment teams to be aware of her concerns.
The Metropolitan Police previously confirmed that it received the letter in January 2019 and passed it to the Sussexes’ office. However, the force acknowledged that the allegations were not shared with law enforcement agencies overseas.
It is now reviewing how the matter was handled and considering whether a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is necessary.
Meghan Markle said she was aware of the allegations
Meghan previously confirmed that she had been made aware of what she described as “troubling and disturbing allegations” against her father following her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.
The Duchess said she had been assured that the matter was being investigated and had been advised not to discuss it publicly.
In a statement released on October 23, Meghan said she was “deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours”.
She added: “My thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed.”
Meghan has been estranged from her father since 2018, when he was caught staging photographs with paparazzi in the run-up to her wedding. Thomas did not attend the ceremony, and the pair have had a complicated relationship since.
Thomas Markle denies the allegations
The latest developments follow reports that Thomas’ son, Thomas Markle Jr., alerted authorities after allegedly discovering material involving children at his father’s former home in Cebu, the Philippines.
According to reports, Philippine authorities are examining evidence recovered from the property. The FBI has also said it will support the investigation and assess whether any potential offences fall under US law.
Thomas has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as “sick lies” and claiming he had been set up.
The allegations have not been established in court, and the investigations remain separate from the Metropolitan Police’s review of its handling of the 2019 letter.
The force has said it is examining the matter and considering whether its actions should be referred to the police watchdog.
