{
  "id": 16340404,
  "title": "Met police received 'claims' about Meghan Markle's father",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/met-police-received-claims-about-meghan-markles-father",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-24T15:49:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTE News",
    "slug": "rte-news",
    "url": "https://www.rte.ie/news/uk/2026/1024/1596736-thomas-markle-met/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 2019, the Metropolitan Police in London received numerous claims regarding Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle. The force forwarded the information to the royal couple but did not disclose it to other law enforcement agencies. Meghan Markle, 45, disclosed in a recent statement that she was deeply distressed by allegations that her father possessed child abuse images. She decided to block contact between her father and her children due to these troubling allegations.\n\nThe Sun and Daily Mail newspapers claimed that images were allegedly found among Meghan Markle's belongings at her former residence in the Philippines. Markle also mentioned receiving a letter from the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018 with similar accusations.\n\nThe Metropolitan Police confirmed they reviewed a letter containing claims about alleged offenses outside the United Kingdom in January 2019. The letter was passed on to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness. Markle claimed she was assured that the allegations against her father were being investigated, although sources close to the matter stated that the police were not involved in the investigation.\n\nThomas Markle, now reportedly in a rehab center in Florida, called the allegations \"sick lies.\" A police officer in Cebu City, Philippines, on condition of anonymity, mentioned an ongoing investigation. The FBI in the United States stated they were aware of the allegations and would provide support to Philippine authorities as needed.\n\nPrince Harry, the second son of King Charles III and estranged brother of the future king, Prince William, married Markle, an American former actress, in May 2018. The couple left Britain and retired from royal duties in 2020 but unexpectedly returned to the United Kingdom with their two children in August.",
  "summary": "London's Metropolitan Police confirmed it received a letter in 2019 about a \"number of claims\" relating to the father of the UK's Prince Harry's wife, Meghan Markle.",
  "key_points": [
    "Metropolitan Police received claims about Meghan Markle's father in 2019.",
    "Claims alleged possession of child abuse images against Thomas Markle.",
    "Markle blocked contact with her father due to distress over allegations."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "Met Police received letter about Meghan Markle's father in 2019",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/met-police-received-letter-about-meghan-markles-father-in-2019",
        "published": "2026-10-24T13:42:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "El Pais",
        "title": "La Policía británica confirma que recibió en 2019 acusaciones por pornografía infantil contra el padre de Meghan Markle",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/la-policia-britanica-confirma-que-recibio-en-2019-acusaciones-por",
        "published": "2026-10-24T14:09:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "UK’s Met police says it sent allegations letter to Meghan, not other forces",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/uks-met-police-says-it-sent-allegations-letter-to-meghan-not-other",
        "published": "2026-10-24T15:52:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CityNews",
        "title": "UK police says letter with claims against Meghan’s father was not shared with other law enforcement",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/uk-police-says-letter-with-claims-against-meghans-father-was-not",
        "published": "2026-10-24T17:40:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "UK police says letter with claims against Meghan’s father was not shared with other law enforcement",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/uk-police-says-letter-with-claims-against-meghans-father-was-not-16356137",
        "published": "2026-10-24T17:40:30.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}