Meghan cut off contact with her father Thomas Markle last year over sex abuse claims

Meghan cut off contact with her father Thomas Markle last year over sex abuse claims Duchess of Sussex wrote her father a letter telling him that he would never meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and insisting she would never contact him again - Bookmark Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in The Duchess of Sussex last year wrote to her father last year telling him she knew about sex abuse claims against him and that she would never allow him to meet his grandchildren, it has been reported. Meghan told Thomas Markle, 82, that it was the last time she would contact him in the letter, understood to have been sent while he was in hospital in the Philippines after having his leg amputated, sources close to her told the BBC. Authorities in the Philippines are currently investigating allegations that Meghan’s estranged father kept a hoard of child sex abuse images at his former home there – claims he denies and has called a “bunch of lies”. It is understood details of the letter sent by Meghan, first reported in the Sun on Sunday, included her telling him that he would never meet her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and and her insisting she would never contact her father again. She also reportedly told him that authorities were aware of the claims made against him. The Metropolitan Police on Saturday confirmed it passed a letter featuring claims of alleged offending outside the UK by Thomas Markle Sr to Meghan and her husband Prince Harry, but in an astonishing admission, said it did not pass those claims on to other relevant law enforcement. The force said it received a letter in 2019 about a “number of claims” relating to Mr Markle, adding it was “reviewing the handling of this matter”, including whether it needs to be referred to the police watchdog over its conduct. On Friday, Meghan revealed she was made aware of “disturbing allegations” about her father in 2018. She said she was shown a letter sent to Scotland Yard eight years ago making “troubling” allegations against Thomas Markle Sr and she was assured that these were being investigated. A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex addressed the discrepancies in dates and said if police had a time-stamped record confirming the letter was reviewed in 2019, then that “should be treated as the accurate reference point for when it was received and shared with the Duchess”. They said on Saturday afternoon that it was “understandable” because of the passage of time that Meghan “may have been mistaken by a few months”. A Met Police spokesperson said on Saturday afternoon: “Following a thorough review of Met Police systems and records, we have confirmed that in January 2019, we received a letter containing a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom. “It was sent to the MPS Protection Command to raise concerns in relation to the security of the Duchess of Sussex. The letter was reviewed and a decision was made that it should be passed to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. “The details of the allegations in the letter were not shared with other law enforcement agencies. The MPS is reviewing the handling of this matter in 2019 and considering whether a referral to the IOPC is necessary to review our approach.” Mr Markle has admitted to paying for sex in the Philippines but has continued to deny allegations he had a hoard of child sex abuse images. According to The Sun, Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, alleged that he found a stash of images belonging to their father at his former home in the Philippines. He reportedly told police in the country that he discovered the child abuse pictures and videos mixed up with innocent family mementos. The newspaper said he also contacted FBI investigators in the US in July. Authorities in the Philippines said they are investigating the allegations. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, Thomas Markle Sr said he has “never had sex with anyone under the age of 18”. He told the paper that when he was single he travelled to the Philippines at least twice and “slept with prostitutes”. “I like Asian women but that is not a crime,” he said. “I am not well enough to go to the Philippines but I will speak to anyone who wants to talk to me. I have nothing to hide.” Mr Markle is learning to walk again at a nursing facility in Florida after he had his leg amputated during life-saving surgery in 2025. He said he would also welcome any forensic examination of his computer, telling the Mail on Sunday: “If there is anything bad on there, it was put there by someone else.” Mr Markle’s eldest daughter Samantha Markle defended her father, telling the paper: “I believe this is a set-up.”