The identity of a Metropolitan Police officer who allegedly advised Meghan Markle against making public allegations involving her father, Thomas Markle Sr, may never be established, according to a former royal protection officer.
The former armed officer, who spent several years working in royal protection, said the investigation could become prolonged, particularly if the individual involved is no longer serving in the force.
He suggested that the officer’s identity could remain undisclosed because of personal loyalties to either the Duchess of Sussex or the Royal Family.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the source said Meghan might be reluctant to identify the individual because she liked the officer and would not want to cause them difficulties.
He also cautioned that only Meghan’s version of events was currently publicly available, adding that recollections of the incident could differ.
Met Unable to Trace Officer Named in Allegations
The controversy centres on claims that a royal protection officer handed Meghan a letter containing allegations of child sexual abuse involving her father in 2018.
Meghan reportedly wanted to make the allegations public in 2019 but was advised against doing so by the officer, who allegedly told her: “Leave it with us, we’ll investigate it.”
However, no subsequent action was taken, and the Metropolitan Police has reportedly been unable to identify the officer who received or handled the letter.
The force’s handling of the information, including its failure to notify other law enforcement agencies, is now being examined by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The former protection officer suggested that the individual was more likely to have been a senior member of the royal protection team, although several officers could potentially have been involved.
He also raised the possibility that the matter had been discussed by senior officials within Royalty and Specialist Protection or the Met’s Gold Group, which includes commanders and assistant commissioners responsible for overseeing major incidents.
He warned that if the IOPC expands the scope of its investigation, the dispute could continue for years.
Meghan’s Niece Speaks Out Over Alleged Material Found in Mexico
The developments come as Meghan’s niece, Noel Rasmussen, has spoken publicly about sexually explicit material discovered in a storage unit rented by her grandfather in Rosarito, Mexico.
The Daily Mail alerted the FBI to the contents of the unit last week, prompting Mexican authorities to conduct a raid over the weekend.
The material reportedly included sexually explicit publications, photographs of naked females who appeared conspicuously young and magazines depicting the sexual exploitation of children.
One photograph allegedly showed Thomas Markle Sr lying on a bed with his arm around a young Asian female, who also appeared nude in other images.
Markle, 82, is already being investigated by authorities in the Philippines over another collection of alleged abuse material discovered at his former residence in Cebu.
Rasmussen, 28, described the latest revelations as shocking and called on authorities to treat the discoveries seriously.
Granddaughter Reveals Her Role in Delivering Letter to Meghan
During an interview with the Daily Mail, Rasmussen also disclosed that she had unknowingly helped deliver the letter containing allegations against her grandfather that eventually reached Meghan.
She said her late grandmother, Roslyn Loveless, who was Markle’s first wife, had asked her to send the letter to Meghan’s police security team in London.
However, Rasmussen maintained that her grandmother never disclosed what the letter contained.
“I’m shocked, just absolutely shocked. It’s surreal. It’s disturbing,” she said.
She explained that Loveless had complained about her former husband’s behaviour but had never directly discussed allegations of paedophilia with her.
According to Rasmussen, her grandmother’s complaints concerned alleged infidelity, late nights and occasions when Markle returned home smelling of perfume.
Roslyn Loveless died at her Albuquerque home in 2024, aged 79.
Although she had repeatedly accused her former husband of cheating during their marriage, she did not publicly make the exploitation allegations.
Meghan’s Decision to Cut Ties With Father Supported by Niece
Meghan, 45, became estranged from her father in 2019 after receiving the letter containing the allegations through the Metropolitan Police’s royal protection team.
Rasmussen said she understood why her aunt had chosen to distance herself from Markle and believed the decision was justified given the seriousness of the claims.
She explained that she would make the same decision if she were in Meghan’s position and had children to protect.
Rasmussen said she would not want to give anyone the opportunity to potentially create another victim, adding that allegations of this nature could not be treated lightly.
Despite the controversy, she said she had relatively few concerns about her grandfather while growing up in New Mexico, more than 800 miles from his former homes in Los Angeles and Mexico.
She recalled seeing him approximately four or five times and said he had always appeared kind and caring during their encounters.
According to Rasmussen, Markle never behaved inappropriately towards her, and she had never felt uncomfortable around him.
She admitted that reconciling her childhood memories with the current allegations had been difficult.
She said it was possible to have complicated feelings about someone who had been her grandfather while recognising the seriousness of the allegations against him.
Rasmussen Explains Mother’s Defence of Markle
Rasmussen also addressed her mother Samantha Markle’s public defence of her father.
Samantha, 61, is Meghan’s half-sister and the only member of the family who has publicly defended Markle amid the controversy.
Rasmussen said she did not blame her mother for attempting to defend her father, explaining that accepting such allegations about a parent would be extremely difficult.
She suggested that Samantha might simply be struggling to believe the claims because of their seriousness and the family relationship involved.
Thomas Markle Denies Allegations Amid Investigations
Markle Sr has faced mounting scrutiny since his son, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, disclosed that he had discovered a collection of child sexual abuse material at his father’s former home in Cebu.
The elder Markle, who now lives in a senior care facility in Florida after losing a leg last December, has strongly denied the allegations.
However, he has acknowledged paying for sex with prostitutes during his travels in Asia, while maintaining that the women involved were of legal age.
The latest discoveries in Mexico have added to the investigations already being conducted by authorities in the Philippines.
Meghan Issues Statement Explaining Decision to Protect Her Children
Meghan has previously spoken publicly about the allegations, explaining that she first became aware of disturbing claims against her father in 2018.
In a statement released following news of the investigation in the Philippines, the Duchess said a letter containing allegations had been sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection before being shared with her.
She said she had been assured that the allegations were being investigated.
Meghan also addressed criticism surrounding her estrangement from her father and her decision not to allow him to meet her children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
She maintained that her decision to prevent contact was made to protect them.
In her statement, she said: “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 added that the letter had contained troubling allegations and that she had trusted authorities to investigate them and protect other families.
The Duchess also expressed hope that justice would be served and that the safety of children would remain the priority.
Meghan and Prince Harry married in May 2018 and have remained estranged from Thomas Markle Sr since 2019.
