Ex‑wife’s 2019 Letter Accuses Meghan Markle’s Father of Child Abuse

An ex‑wife’s 2019 letter to the Metropolitan Police alleged that Thomas Markle, father of the Duchess of Sussex, was linked to child sexual abuse. The letter was written by Roslyn Loveless, who divorced Markle in 1975 and later died. It was received by the Met in 2019 and at that time shared with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Reaction

Meghan Markle confirmed the letter’s existence on Friday, saying she was "deeply distressed" and expressed sympathy for any children who may have been harmed. She said the disclosure explains why she has largely cut off contact with her father and why she has barred him from seeing her children. Sources say she warned him in a hospital‑dated letter, written while he was recovering from a leg amputation in the Philippines, that he would never meet his grandchildren. Her half‑brother, Thomas Jr., told the Sun that he discovered a cache of images at their father’s former home in the Philippines and reported the find to police. He later apologized to Meghan for previously defending their father and said he had "been protecting the wrong person for nine years." He also contacted the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has confirmed awareness of the allegations. Philippine authorities say their anti‑human‑trafficking and child‑exploitation task force is investigating the claims. Thomas Markle, now living in a Florida rehabilitation centre after a series of strokes and a leg amputation, has denied possessing any illegal material, though he admitted paying for sex during past visits to the Philippines. The Met Police says it did not forward the letter’s contents to other agencies and is reviewing its handling of the matter.

Context

Allegations of child sexual abuse often trigger multi‑jurisdictional investigations, especially when the accused resides in one country and the alleged material is found in another. The involvement of both UK and U.S. law‑enforcement agencies reflects the cross‑border nature of such cases.