"Tears", "tremors", "cruelty": Meghan Markle accused of harassing two royal staff in Kensington
As the broadcast of the long-awaited Sussex interview approaches, a Times article weakens the image of Meghan Markle. Several sources told the prestigious English daily that Prince Harry's wife harassed two personal assistants and undermined the trust of a third. Buckingham Palace is preparing to open an investigation.
Tensions within the royal family, marriage, motherhood… The Sussexes have promised not to hide anything from CBS viewers during their interview with Oprah Winfrey, broadcast this Sunday, March 7 on the American channel. Coincidence or not? Here is that in parallel, the British daily newspaper The Times publishes this Tuesday, March 2, an article which rekindles the fire around the inappropriate attitude of Meghan Markle with her staff. The newspaper reports being approached by staff at Buckingham Palace claiming that a former aide to the Duchess of Sussex lodged a complaint against her for intimidation while she was still residing in England with Harry.
The Royal Palace has since declared itself "very worried" about these accusations. The Elizabeth II teams announced in a press release, published this Wednesday, March 3, that an investigation would be opened into these allegations of harassment. "Our human resources team will investigate the circumstances mentioned in the article," can we read in the official message. Employees involved at the time, including those who left the royal household, will be invited to participate, to see if any lessons can be learned. The Royal Household has followed a Dignity at Work policy for years and will never tolerate harassment in the workplace. " If the date of the opening of the investigation has not yet been indicated, the investigations should begin "soon", revealed the Guardian.
Following allegations in The Times, Buckingham Palace have released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/WdMSWtubYq
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) March 3, 2021
"Unacceptable behavior"
The complaint by Jason Knauf, the couple's communications secretary, was reportedly filed in October 2018 in an attempt to get Buckingham Palace to protect staff he said were under pressure from the Duchess.
In an email sent to the human resources department and consulted by the Times, the latter describes a worrying situation. "I am very concerned that the Duchess may have intimidated two personal assistants over the past year," he wrote. The treatment of X * was totally unacceptable. ” And to continue. “The Duchess seems to want to always have someone in her sights. She intimidates Y and seeks to undermine her confidence. We have received numerous reports from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior towards Y. ”
According to several sources in The Times, there was indeed a tyrannical atmosphere within Kensington Palace, where Meghan and Harry lived alongside the Cambridges after their marriage, until the separation in early 2019. “The staff was sometimes reduced to tears; an aide, anticipating a confrontation with Meghan, told a colleague: "I can't stop shaking" ", reports the British newspaper. According to a source, Meghan Markle was "more emotional cruelty and manipulation."
Ultimately, the complaint was reportedly unsuccessful, much to the regret of the complainants. And for good reason, Prince Harry would have begged Jason Knauf not to pursue the case, reports a witness.
Meghan Markle "saddened" by her attacks
In the wake of the article's publication, one of the current Sussexes spokespersons denied the accusations, saying they were based on "misleading and harmful information". "The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her, especially as someone who has been the target of intimidation in the past and is deeply committed to supporting those who have suffered pain and trauma," said the bearer. word from Harper's Bazaar. Before concluding: "She will continue to strive to set an example to do what is right and what is good".
For their part, the couple's lawyers have said that the Times was used "by Buckingham Palace to peddle a totally false story" before their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
