A letter delivered to the Metropolitan Police and subsequently passed to the Duchess of Sussex containing allegations about her father Thomas Markle has dominated Sunday newspaper front pages. According to BBC News, the Sunday Mirror reported that the Met "did not pass on allegations about Meghan's dad to other police forces", following the duchess's disclosure of the letter's existence after fresh allegations emerged regarding her father. Thomas Markle has strenuously denied all allegations against him.
The Independent reported that the Met confirmed it received the letter in January 2019, reviewed it, and passed it to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's office, though the allegations were not shared with other law-enforcement agencies. The BBC also noted that the Met said it is making internal inquiries to confirm reports that its Royalty and Specialist Protection Command was involved in passing the letter to Meghan in 2018.
What are the duchess's concerns?
Sources close to the duchess expressed that she is "upset" about the "failure of the Met to act", the Sunday Telegraph reported, with Scotland Yard now considering whether to refer itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. ITV News reported that the letter was handwritten, ran to several pages, and was addressed to the Met's Fixated Threat Assessment Centre.
What is the government's stance on migration policy?
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's position on European Union free movement has become a focal point in Sunday coverage. The Sunday Times reported that Burnham is "open to adopting EU free movement", with the PM calling for an honest conversation about migration and suggesting that pre-Brexit movement was "not as difficult" as the current situation. However, Burnham clarified that he could not see himself recommending that the UK join the euro or the Schengen area. This stance contrasts with Labour's 2024 election manifesto, which ruled out restoring free movement, rejoining the EU single market, or entering a customs union.
What other major stories are leading the papers?
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned that Britain must be ready for war within 1,000 days as Russia continues its hybrid warfare against NATO, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Coverage of French protests continued on front pages, with a large rally in Marseille pictured under the headline "France on the March".
The Sunday People carried a pre-Budget exclusive reporting that the government is expected to announce a "boost for new social housing" in England, with the headline "Extra £1bn for homes" highlighting the anticipated investment.
The Sunday Express led with remarks from Conservatives urging Prime Minister Burnham to "come clean" on any mooted plans to lift the pension age to 68. Campaigners quoted in the paper believe such a change would affect approximately six million people and bring hardship to those unable to continue working.
The Observer featured an interview with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who described artificial intelligence as an "evolutionary event".
"Like monkeys to humans", people will no longer be the most intelligent things on the planet,Gates stated in remarks splashed across the paper's front page.
The Daily Star on Sunday devoted its front page to an apparent resemblance between the late US pop icon Prince and the Prince of Wales. Under the headline "Purple Reign", the paper reported that Prince William "claims he is often not recognised" and recounted an occasion when "a bloke thought he was pint-sized pop legend Prince" and wanted him to sign a copy of his record "Purple Rain". The comments emerged during the prince's appearance on the BBC's Graham Norton Show.
What happens next?
The Met is reviewing its handling of the letter and considering whether to refer the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The force is also conducting internal inquiries to confirm the involvement of its Royalty and Specialist Protection Command in the 2018 letter handover to the duchess.
