Metropolitan police refers itself to watchdog over Meghan warning letter

Key facts

• Metropolitan police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
• The referral concerns the handling of a 2019 letter about Meghan Markle's father.
• The letter contained claims of alleged offending outside the UK.
• The Met passed the letter to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's office.
• Other law enforcement agencies were not informed of the allegations.

The Metropolitan police has voluntarily referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following a review of its handling of a 2019 letter. The letter, addressed to the Met's protection command, contained claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom, though it did not specifically detail security matters related to the Duchess of Sussex. The force assessed the letter and passed it to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness, without informing other law enforcement agencies. Commander Adam Slonecki stated that the Met's directorate of professional standards conducted an initial review, leading to the referral to the IOPC. The Met also intends to refer the allegations to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies.