Royal aides reveal Meghan Markle faced bullying allegation
Royal aides have revealed Meghan Markle faced a bullying complaint made by one of her closest advisers during her time at Kensington Palace.
The complaint claimed Markle drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member, the Times reported.
The news comes ahead of an interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which the Duchess of Sussex and her husband Price Harry will carry out an on-camera interview.
The Times reported the sources approached the paper because they felt only a partial version had emerged of Markle’s two years as a working member of the royal family, and they wished to tell their side.
A spokesman for the Sussexes said they were the victims of a calculated smear campaign based on a misleading and harmful misinformation. They said the duchess was “saddened by this latest attack on herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experience pain and trauma.”
The complaint was made by Jason Knauf, the couple’s communications secretary art the time. Price Harry reportedly pleaded with Knauf not to pursue it.
Knauf sent an email to Simon Case, then the Duke of Cambridge’s private secretary and now the cabinet secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of HR. Case then forwarded it to Carruthers.
In his email Knauf said Carruthers “agreed with me on all counts that the situation was very serious”. He added: “I remain concerned that nothing will be done.”