British police received allegations about Meghan’s father in 2019, but did not speak to other law enforcement agencies about them.

LONDON — Police in the British capital said Saturday they received a letter containing allegations about the ex-father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, in 2019, but did not inform other law enforcement agencies.

Philippine authorities confirmed this week that they are investigating Thomas Markle following allegations he kept child sexual abuse images in his home. He denied the allegations.

Meghan said in a statement on Friday that she was “deeply distressed” by the allegations and had previously been informed by police of “disturbing allegations” against him in 2018.

A London Metropolitan Police spokesperson said a review of records confirmed police received a letter in January 2019 “containing a number of allegations relating to alleged offenses outside the UK”.

“He was sent to MPS Protection Command to raise concerns about the safety of the Duchess of Sussex,” the statement added. “The letter has been reviewed and it has been decided that it should be forwarded to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for notification. Details of the allegations contained in the letter have not been shared with other law enforcement agencies.”

The statement did not say whether an investigation took place or whether further action was taken.

The force said it was looking into the incident and was considering speaking to the UK’s Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Asked about the discrepancy between the two statements on the date of the letter, a spokesperson for Meghan told NBC News that she “may have gotten it wrong by a few months.”

The allegations against Thomas Markle were first reported Thursday by The Sun, a British tabloid, which reported that his son informed police after he said he found “hundreds, if not thousands” of images of child sexual abuse in boxes at his father’s home.

The Sun published a photo showing the son, Thomas Markle Jr., signing an affidavit he allegedly submitted to police and quoting him saying: “I will never speak to my father again unless I am called to testify against him.”

In a statement Friday, Meghan addressed the report that her father was under investigation.

“The scale of what has been uncovered is more sickening than anyone could ever imagine,” said Meghan, whose relationship with her father has been limited and strained in recent years. He did not attend her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, which attracted media attention.

She said the letter sent to British police and other authorities in 2018 “contained disturbing and worrying allegations against my father and I have been assured that these allegations are being investigated”.

Meghan added that she chose to keep her children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, away from their father “for one reason only: to protect them.”

The elder Markle, 82, denied the reported allegations, calling them “sick lies” in a statement to Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper. He added that it was “the worst thing anyone could accuse me of”.

His daughter Samantha Markle also dismissed her brother’s allegations, telling the Daily Mail that “These disgusting allegations have no merit. … He wants to destroy our father. Shame on him.”

NBC News did not immediately receive responses to requests for comment from Markle Jr. or Samantha Markle — Meghan’s half-siblings.

NBC News was not immediately able to identify a contact for Markle Sr., who the Daily Mail reported was now in a Florida rehabilitation center recovering from surgery.

In a statement, the FBI said it was “aware of the allegations and will provide support, where appropriate, to Philippine authorities. We will also investigate any related allegations of federal violations of U.S. law.”

The Philippines’ Department of Justice confirmed Friday that “the matter is under investigation” but otherwise declined to “provide further details at this time.”

Meghan, 45, and Harry, 42, returned to the UK earlier this summer after several years in the US.

Last week the couple made their first joint public appearance since returning to the UK, visiting charities in central England. King Charles III made it clear that their return did not mean a return to active royal life. Harry, however, said recently that he wanted his disagreements with his family to “be resolved.”