Megyn Kelly has attacked Meghan Markle's response to allegations involving her estranged father, questioning the Duchess of Sussex's account of her difficulties within the Royal Family as London police review their handling of an earlier letter about Thomas Markle Sr.
Speaking on The Megyn Kelly Show on October 23, the commentator called Meghan's statement "colossally stupid" and suggested the duchess had prioritised defending her estrangement over addressing the allegations. Thomas has denied the accusations, calling them "sick lies," while Philippine authorities are investigating.
Kelly's criticism followed Meghan's disclosure that she had previously been informed of troubling allegations against her father and had been assured they were being investigated. Meghan said keeping him away from Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet was intended to protect them.
The Metropolitan Police subsequently confirmed receiving a letter in January 2019, rather than 2018, the year Meghan initially cited. A spokesperson for the duchess acknowledged that she could have misremembered the date and said the police's time-stamped records should be considered authoritative.
The force said its Protection Command received the correspondence because of concerns about Meghan's security. Officers reviewed it and passed it to the Sussexes' office, but did not share the allegations with other law enforcement agencies.
Police are now reviewing that handling and considering whether a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct is required. The force has not announced an investigation into Thomas over the letter's allegations.
Kelly connected the disclosure to Meghan's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which the duchess described severe distress during her time as a working royal, including around January 2019.
"And she blamed it entirely on the Royal family, right?" Kelly said.
She accused Meghan of presenting an incomplete explanation of her unhappiness by not discussing the allegations involving her father. Kelly also suggested Meghan had failed to act after learning about them, although the reporting does not establish what steps the duchess took beyond receiving assurances of an investigation.
The existence of another potential source of distress does not establish that Meghan's account of her royal experiences was false. Nor does the corrected date demonstrate deliberate deception.
Royal correspondent Tom Sykes separately questioned whether the disclosures might change perceptions of the Sussexes' accounts in their Netflix documentary and Prince Harry's memoir, Spare. He contrasted the allegations with their descriptions of disputes over clothing, accommodation and family relationships.
The latest controversy began after Thomas Markle Jr. said he discovered suspected child sexual abuse material while clearing his father's former home in the Philippines. He told The Sun that he reported the material to authorities.
"When I found this material I was horrified and I had no option but to report my dad," he said.
Meghan said she was "deeply distressed" by the reports and expressed concern for any children who might have been harmed. She said the earlier letter contained "troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated."
Thomas disputes the accusations. The supplied reports contain no forensic findings or charges, and the Philippine inquiry remains separate from the Metropolitan Police's review of how its officers handled the earlier correspondence.
