LONDON – Britain’s Metropolitan Police has referred itself to a watchdog after it failed to inform other law enforcement agencies about a letter containing serious allegations against Meghan Markle’s father.

The country’s largest police force said Thursday it submitted itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct after an internal review found fault with its “decision not to inform other law enforcement agencies”.

The Met Police instead passed the letter to Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and wife of Prince Harry.

Late last week, the force confirmed it received a letter in January 2019 containing claims about alleged offences outside the UK related to Thomas Markle.

The confirmation came after Meghan said she saw a letter sent to the police force making “troubling and disturbing allegations against my father” and received promises police would investigate.

British newspapers reported last week that Thomas Markle’s son, Thomas Markle Jr, found child abuse images among his father’s possessions at his former home in the Philippines.

Thomas Markle has denied all claims.

Commander Adam Slonecki, head of the Met’s protection command, said in a statement that police made “a number of referrals” about the allegations to “relevant overseas law enforcement agencies”.

Philippine police found child pornography materials at Thomas Markle’s former home and are now investigating a laptop, the country’s interior minister, Jonvic Remulla, told AFP this week.

Meghan’s father lived in Cebu in the Philippines until he reportedly returned to the United States earlier this year.

An FBI spokesperson said the agency is “aware of the allegations and will provide support, as appropriate, to the Philippine authorities”.

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