Buckingham Palace to investigate claims that Duchess Meghan bullied staff

LONDON — Buckingham Palace will investigate after the former communications secretary to Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, filed an official complaint that accused the duchess of bullying.

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According to The Associated Press, the palace released a statement Wednesday saying it was “very concerned” about the claims detailed Tuesday in the Times of London. The newspaper reported that the aide, Jason Knauf, alleged in October 2018 that Meghan, formerly known as Meghan Markle, “humiliated” employees and “drove two personal assistants out of the household.” Knauf is currently on Prince William’s staff, the AP reported.

The palace said human resources workers will investigate the allegations, the AP reported.

“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,” the statement read, according to the news agency.

A spokesman for Meghan, 39, said the duchess is “saddened by this latest attack on her character,” adding that the former “Suits” star “has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma,” the AP reported.

The news comes days before Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Harry, 36, and Meghan is set to air Sunday night on CBS. Last week, Harry also appeared in a pre-recorded segment on James Corden’s “The Late, Late Show,” in which the prince opened up about his decision to relocate to California with Meghan and their son, Archie, to protect them from the British press and preserve his own mental health.

“It was never walking away; it was stepping back rather than stepping down,” Harry told Corden aboard a double-decker bus during a tour of Los Angeles. “You know, it was a really difficult environment, as I think a lot of people saw. We all know what the British press can be like, and it was destroying my mental health. I was like, this is toxic. So I did what any husband and what any father would do. It’s like, I need to get my family out of here. But we never walked away, and as far as I’m concerned, whatever decisions are made on that side, I will never walk away. I will always be contributing. My life is public service, so wherever I am in the world, it’s going to be the same thing.”

Last month, Buckingham Palace announced that Harry and Meghan, who are expecting their second child this spring, “will not be returning as working members of the royal family.”

Following conversations with the duke, [Queen Elizabeth II] has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the royal family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” read a statement released Feb. 19. “The honorary military appointments and royal patronages held by the duke and duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of the royal family.”

The couple announced in January 2020 that they would be stepping down as senior members of the royal family, the AP previously reported. At the time, the palace agreed to review the decision with the pair after 12 months, officials said.

Read more here.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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