UK police probe ‘racist’ package sent to Harry and Meghan

This file photo taken on September 25, 2017 shows Britain’s Prince Harry (right) and US actress Meghan Markle (left) attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 at Nathan Philips Square in Toronto, Canada. Police are investigating a suspicious package that was sent to Prince Harry and his fiancée as a racist hate crime, Scotland Yard said on Thursday, February 22, 2018. Prince Harry and Markle are set to marry this coming May 19 at Windsor Castle after the couple became engaged in 2017. (AFP FILE PHOTO)

LONDON — Police are investigating a suspicious package that was sent to Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle as a racist hate crime, Scotland Yard said on Thursday.

The Metropolitan Police force said that “a package containing a substance” was delivered to St. James’s Palace, where Harry has his office, on February 12.

According to authorities, the substance “was tested and confirmed as non-suspicious.”

Police also said that counterterrorism detectives are investigating the incident as an alleged malicious communication offense, “and it is being treated as a racist hate crime.”

The Evening Standard newspaper reported that the package was a letter containing white powder and a racist message.

Prince Harry and Markle, a US actress, are due to marry this coming May 19 at Windsor Castle.

Earlier this month, a letter containing white powder was sent to an office at Parliament, leading to a partial evacuation of the building. The substance was also found to be non-toxic.            /kga