Buckingham Palace Is 'Very Concerned' After Meghan Markle Was Accused Of Bullying Staffers, 'Will Not Tolerate Harassment In The Workplace'
Just one day after a palace aide accused Meghan Markle of bullying, Buckingham Palace has responded to the allegations.
"We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex," Buckingham Palace said in a statement, which was obtained by The Royal Observer. "Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article."
The statement continued: "Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned. The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace."
On Tuesday, March 2, former staff members told their side of the story to The Times about Meghan's time at Kensington Palace — just days before her interview with Oprah Winfrey will air on CBS.
“The complaint claimed that she drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member,” the outlet reported.
Two senior members of staff claimed they were bullied by the 39-year-old, while a former employee said they were “humiliated” by her.
Another aide claimed it felt “more like emotional cruelty and manipulation, which I guess could also be called bullying.”
Jason Knauf, the couple's former communications secretary, submitted the accusations in 2018.
“I am very concerned that the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X* was totally unacceptable,” Knauf supposedly wrote in an email.
He added: “The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y.”
Meghan's team hit back with a statement of their own. “Let’s just call this what it is — a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. It’s no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining The Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and The Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years,” a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said.
The statement continued: “The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good.”
