Thomas Markle's Arrest Reignites Meghan's 2019 Letter Mystery — as Met Police 'Still Haven't Asked Duchess Key Question'
The 2019 letter had warnings related to certain claims about Meghan Markle's father, Thomas
Nov. 6 2026, Updated 4:45 p.m. ET
Thomas Markle's arrest in Florida has renewed scrutiny of a letter warning British police about allegations involving Meghan Markle's estranged father nearly eight years ago.
Markle, 82, was arrested on November 6 and charged with one count of possessing child sexual abuse material, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal prosecutors allege he kept the material in two Los Angeles-area storage units that he had rented since 2008.
FBI agents seized approximately 78 items containing suspected child sexual abuse material, including slides, film negatives and books. Markle has denied the allegations, previously describing them as "sick lies."
He has not been convicted, and the criminal complaint contains allegations that must be proven in court.
The case has also raised questions about why information contained in a letter sent to London's Metropolitan Police in January 2019 was not shared with other law enforcement agencies.
Arrest Brings Letter Back Into Focus
The 2019 letter was written by Thomas Markle's first wife, Roslyn Loveless
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it received the letter in January 2019. According to the force, its author raised concerns about the Duchess of Sussex's security, but the correspondence also contained claims of alleged criminal activity outside the United Kingdom.
The letter was written by Roslyn Loveless, Markle's first wife, the BBC reported. She and Markle divorced in 1975, and she died in 2024.
Rather than forwarding the allegations to overseas authorities, the Met passed the correspondence to the office of Prince Harry and Meghan for their awareness.
The force has since acknowledged that it did not share the allegations with other law enforcement agencies at the time. On October 29, it announced a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of the correspondence.
The Met also said it intended to refer the allegations to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies, with that process underway.
Meghan Says She Was Given Assurances
Meghan Markle claimed that she was distressed by the allegations against her father
Meghan has said she was informed about the allegations years before they became public and was assured that authorities were investigating them.
In a statement issued in October, the Duchess said she was "deeply distressed" by the allegations and expressed concern for any children who may have been harmed.
"In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me," she said.
"It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated."
Meghan also addressed her decision to remain estranged from her father and prevent him from having contact with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
She explained that protecting her children was the reason for maintaining that distance and said she had trusted authorities to protect other families as well.
Met Police Still Trying To Find Officer
An insider close to Meghan claimed that the Duchess's office was approached by the Met for a copy of the letter
The Telegraph reported that the Metropolitan Police has yet to contact Meghan to establish which royal protection officer passed the letter to her. The force has also confirmed that it is still attempting to identify the officer involved.
A source close to the Duchess told the publication, "The Met has not been in touch to ask for our assistance. They contacted the Duchess's office to ask for a copy of the letter when its existence first came to light but have not been back in touch since then."
The Met initially struggled to locate its own copy of the correspondence and requested a copy from the Duchess's office.
Its subsequent referral to the IOPC means the force's handling of the letter is now subject to independent scrutiny.
The investigation will examine both the decision to share the correspondence with Harry and Meghan's office and the failure to alert other law enforcement agencies.
Philippines Case Led To US Charges
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Thomas Markle is expected to face a sentence of 20 years
The US investigation followed reports about material discovered among Markle's belongings in Cebu, Philippines.
Markle's son, Thomas Markle Jr., handed over electronic devices and other possessions to Philippine authorities in October after reporting that he had discovered suspected material at his father's former home.
Philippine investigators have since reported finding suspected child sexual abuse material on several devices.
Authorities said approximately 7,500 photographs and one video were recovered, although investigators have yet to establish who owned, produced or distributed the material.
The investigation has also taken an unexpected turn for Markle Jr. Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on November 5 that he had been designated a person of interest after witnesses provided information about his possible involvement.
Remulla stressed that he was not being treated as a suspect, and no charges against him have been announced.
Meanwhile, the FBI's investigation led agents to two storage units registered to Markle in the Los Angeles area. According to the Justice Department, the searches resulted in the seizure of approximately 78 items containing suspected material.
Markle appeared in federal court in Tampa following his arrest and was released under electronic monitoring, according to The Associated Press.
If convicted of the federal possession charge, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
