Police watchdog confirms it WILL investigate Met over letter passed to Meghan Markle about her father Thomas in 2019

The police watchdog has confirmed it will investigate the Metropolitan Police over its handling of a letter it passed to Meghan about her father, Thomas Markle.The force handed the letter, which contained 'a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom', about Markle Sr, 82, to the Sussexes in 2019.But it failed to pass a copy, or details of the alleged offences, to any other law enforcement agencies and did not launch a probe into Markle Sr themselves.It comes after Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, claimed last week he had discovered a trove of child sex abuse images in his father's possessions at his home in the Philippines. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has today confirmed it will launch an investigation after the Met referred itself over its handling of the letter.It will probe the 'failure to pass on allegations of serious offending' to overseas authorities. But a secondary matter, relating to a data breach concerning the passing of the letter to the Sussexes, has been referred back to the Met to investigate.An IOPC spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'Following a voluntary conduct referral from the Met Police, we have decided an independent investigation is required into its failure to pass on allegations of serious offending, contained in a letter it received in 2019, to relevant overseas authorities at the time. 'We have decided that a further conduct matter – relating to an alleged data breach where information was passed on to a third party – should be returned to the force to be appropriately dealt with including via its data breach policies if required.' Meghan and her father Thomas Markle Sr have been estranged since 2018, the year she married Prince Harry Thomas Markle Jr, Meghan's brother, claimed to have found the child-abuse material packed up in boxes at his father's Philippines homeThe Met said yesterday it does now intend to make 'a number of referrals to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies' in relation to the claims set out within the letter.It's understood it was written by Markle Sr's late first wife, Roslyn Loveless, and contained 'troubling and disturbing' allegations against the Duchess of Sussex's father.Last week it was reported Meghan was informed the allegations raised in the letter were being investigated. Markle Sr is accused of having a 'sickening' collection of child abuse images, including videos of girls no older than ten or 11 involved in sex acts. Thomas Jr claims to have found the material while looking through his father's boxes in July this year to find a phone for his fiancée, Rose, after his father had returned to the US for medical treatment. He allegedly also found a 15-minute video of naked girls on his father's old phone, and 'hundreds' of indecent images including pictures depicting children as young as toddlers.Authorities in the Philippines have launched a probe and were handed a warrant by a court today allowing them to examine the digital material handed to them by Thomas Jr. The FBI are also said to be poised to join the investigation. Announcing the referral to the IOPC today, Commander Adam Slonecki, who leads the Metropolitan Police's Protection Command, said: 'In January 2019, the Met received a letter addressed to our Protection Command, specifically the Fixated Threats Assessment Centre.'The author of the letter suggested they were writing to raise concerns relating to the security of the Duchess of Sussex. While the letter did not actually contain any information specifically related to security matters, it did contain a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom.'The letter was assessed and subsequently 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.'In recent days, the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards has carried out an initial review into our actions following receipt of the letter in 2019.'Following that review, a voluntary referral has been made to the IOPC in respect of the decision not to inform other law enforcement agencies, and the decision to pass the letter to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.'In addition, it is our intention to make a number of referrals to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies in relation to the allegations contained within the letter. That process is underway and will be completed in the coming days.' The Duchess of Sussex on a visit to the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham earlier this month Markle Sr recovering in a hospital bed after surgery in the Philippines last December The 82-year-old moved to a home in this apartment block in Cebu in the Philippines last yearThomas Jr said last week he found 'hundreds' of child sex abuse images in four boxes stored at his father's home in Cebu in the Philippines, which contained multiple digital devices.One 35mm photograph reportedly shows a bearded man resembling Mr Markle having sex with a young Asian girl. 'I have never been in a photograph like that,' Markle Sr said on Saturday.Markle Sr denies the allegations, calling them 'sick lies' and says he will do 'whatever it takes' to clear his name. He is currently receiving medical treatment in a rehabilitation centre in Florida after having his left leg amputated.The Duchess of Sussex released a statement last week saying she was first made aware of 'troubling and disturbing' allegations about her father after a letter was passed to her by royal protection officers. She added she was given assurances the claims were being investigated.'I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,' she said.'I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications' distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them.'I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.'Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.'Today it was reported a court in the Philippines has issued a warrant allowing police in the country to examine the material passed to them by Thomas Jr.Philippine interior minister Jonvic Remulla previously said the forensics data is expected to be completed in a week but 'right now all signs point to a possible sex offender of the grossest kind'. Although Meghan became publicly estranged from her father in 2018, prior to her wedding to Prince Harry, she last year sent a letter to him informing him she would never contact him again, and he would not meet his grandchildren. She reportedly said this is due to her, and authorities, knowing he had abused young girls. An IOPC spokesman said: 'We have received a voluntary conduct referral from the Met Police, which relates to the handling of a letter it received in 2019 involving allegations of offending. 'We are now assessing the referral before deciding what further action may be required.'