London's Metropolitan Police said Saturday that in January 2019 it received a letter making a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom involving Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and that it did not pass those details to other law enforcement agencies^1,2,3.

Scotland Yard said the letter went to the Met's Protection Command over security concerns for the duchess, was reviewed, and was forwarded to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness^1,3.

The confirmation followed Friday reports that authorities in the Philippines are investigating allegations that child sexual abuse material was found among belongings at Markle's former home there^1,2,3. Markle, 82, who is based in the United States, has denied possessing such images^1,3.

The Met said it is reviewing how it handled the 2019 letter and considering whether to refer itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct^1,2.

On Friday, Meghan said she had been told of troubling allegations about her estranged father in 2018, that a letter to the Met and Royalty and Specialist Protection was later shared with her, and that she had been given assurances the claims were being investigated^2,3. A spokesman for the duchess, responding to the Met dating the letter to 2019, said any discrepancy of a few months was an understandable consequence of that passage of time^1,2.

Arab News cited a source close to the matter as saying police were not investigating³. The Met statement did not describe an active U.K. criminal inquiry into the 2019 letter^1,3.

The Sun first reported the letter and later said it made direct child-sex-abuse allegations against Markle¹. Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., has said he found material at the Philippines property and is understood to have contacted the FBI in July¹. Markle told the Daily Mail the allegations were "sick lies"³.

Philippines authorities have said they are investigating; the BBC was told an anti-human trafficking and child sexual exploitation task force is involved, and Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla said national police had secured a computer for forensic examination¹. An FBI spokesperson said the bureau was aware of the allegations and would provide support, as appropriate, to Philippine authorities³.

Markle did not attend Meghan and Prince Harry's 2018 wedding, citing ill health, and the family later became estranged¹. The couple stepped back from royal duties in 2020, lived in the United States, and returned to the United Kingdom this year^1,3.