Buckingham Palace 'blindsided' by Thomas Markle Sr abuse claims, expert says

Key Points:

• Buckingham Palace was reportedly "blindsided" by allegations from Meghan Markle's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., who claims to have found thousands of child sexual abuse images linked to their father, Thomas Markle Sr., who denies the accusations.
• Meghan Markle expressed distress over the allegations, emphasizing that her distance from her father was to protect her children, and noted that a letter with troubling allegations was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty Protection in 2019.
• The Metropolitan Police confirmed receipt of the letter in January 2019 but did not share the details with other law enforcement agencies or launch an investigation at the time; they are currently reviewing how the matter was handled.
• Philippine authorities, including the National Bureau of Investigation and National Police, are investigating the allegations after assistance was requested by the FBI.
• The royal family is expected to maintain distance from the situation, with King Charles possibly offering private support to Prince Harry, while Buckingham Palace and other senior royals have refrained from public comment due to the sensitivity and ongoing investigations.