Former British Police Officers Admit Sending Racist Messages About Duchess Meghan and Others

Five retired British police officers have confessed to sending offensive and racist social media messages concerning Duchess Meghan, who is married to Prince Harry, among others. These former officers, all in their 60s, were arrested following a BBC investigation last year, which prompted an internal police inquiry.

The charges against them state that the offensive messages were posted in a closed WhatsApp group, targeting not only Prince Harry and his wife Meghan but also Prince William, Princess Kate, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and her late husband, Prince Philip.

In a hearing at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the individuals, identified as Robert Lewis, Peter Booth, Anthony Elsom, Alan Hall, and Trevor Lewton, pleaded guilty to the charges of sending grossly offensive racist messages via public communication. All five had previously served in London’s Metropolitan Police department and were part of the force’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection branch, responsible for safeguarding politicians and diplomats. Notably, none of the suspects were serving as police officers when they sent these messages, which occurred between 2020 and 2022.

A sixth former officer, Michael Chadwell, denied one count of the same charge and is scheduled to stand trial on November 6. The sentencing for the other five individuals will also take place on the same day.

Some of the messages in question also referenced prominent figures such as U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former Home Secretary Priti Patel, and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

Meghan Markle, an actress of biracial heritage, married Prince Harry, the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle in 2018. In early 2020, the couple announced their decision to step away from their royal duties and left the United Kingdom, citing the intrusive and racially biased treatment they received from the British media as their reason.