A letter containing white powder, sent to Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle, is being treated by police as a racist hate crime, Scotland Yard has announced. The letter had initially been believed to contain anthrax.
It is understood the package contained a racist note. In a statement, Scotland Yard said: “Officers are also investigating an allegation of malicious communications which relates to the same package, and it is being treated as a racist hate crime.”
The force’s statement added: “The matter is being investigated by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.”
Counter-terrorism officers are looking into who was behind the threat to the couple, who are due to marry on May 19, the Evening Standard revealed in an exclusive. Security around the Meghan and Harry has been significantly stepped up ahead of the wedding.
It has now been revealed that Met cops rushed in when Kensington Palace received a letter for Meghan, 36, and Harry, 33. The letter was intercepted before it reached the pair. The following day, another letter was sent to the Palace of Westminster for Home Secretary Amber Rudd.
Analysis taken from both letters found the powder they contained to be harmless. The investigation is ongoing, though there have been no arrests so far.
The royal couple will not downgrade their lavish wedding plans as a result of heightened security, however, and it will go ahead as planned on the same day as the FA Cup final.
“They hope this short journey [from Wembley to Windsor] will provide an opportunity for more people to come together around Windsor and to enjoy the atmosphere of this special day,” Kensington Palace has said.
However, it is rumored that a squad of elite soldiers will be drafted in to protect them on the day.
This is the first security incident involving Markle since the wedding was announced, although threats against the royal family are not uncommon.
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