Madeleine McCann Investigation Gets a Big Update, But What’s Next?

As the 14th anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance approached in 2021, Gerry and Kate McCann posted on the Find Madeleine website, the couple having never joined social media, “Every May is tough—a reminder of years passed, of years together lost, or stolen. This year it is particularly poignant as we should be celebrating Madeleine’s 18th birthday. Enough said.”

A Met spokesperson confirmed to E! News last June that the McCann case remained open but they were unable to comment further about their active investigation—and it remained a missing-person inquiry. Clarence Mitchell, the McCanns’ longtime spokesman, didn’t respond to interview requests at the time.

Months later, on April 21, the Prosecutors Office in Faro, Portugal, said they had an official suspect, not releasing a name but saying they were acting on a request from German authorities and in coordination with English investigators.

The next day, on the website devoted to finding their eldest child, the McCanns—whose twins are now 16 years old—wrote, “We welcome the news that the Portuguese authorities have declared a German man an ‘arguido’ in relation to the disappearance of our beloved daughter Madeleine. This reflects progress in the investigation, being conducted by the Portuguese, German and British authorities. We are kept informed of developments by the Metropolitan police.

“It is important to note the ‘arguido’ has not yet been charged with any specific crime related to Madeleine’s disappearance. Even though the possibility may be slim, we have not given up hope that Madeleine is still alive and we will be reunited with her.”

(Originally published June 19, 2021, at 3 a.m. PT)