Queen Elizabeth's Ex-Aide Admits Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Struggled To Keep Staff Amid Bullying Claims
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry allegedly had a royal aide quit on them shortly after the staffer began working for the couple, Queen Elizabeth II's former press secretary has claimed.
Samantha Cohen, who was allegedly "treated harshly" by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when she was their private secretary, claimed to the Australian outlet Herald Sun that she had to stay in the role much longer than expected because they struggled to hire a replacement for her.
Cohen also alleged that her would-be replacement resigned as Prince Harry and Markle's private secretary while being shown the ropes during the Sussexes' trip to Africa in 2019.
"I was only supposed to stay for six months but stayed for 18 -- we couldn't find a replacement for me, and when we did, we took them on tour to Africa with Harry and Meghan to show them the ropes, but they left (quit) as well while in Africa," Cohen told the Herald Sun.
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Prince Harry and Markle's 10-day tour of Africa, which included visits to South Africa, Botswana, Angola and Malawi, marked their last official trip as working royals before they stepped back from their roles in early 2020.
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Cohen -- who served as the late queen's press secretary for 17 years before becoming her assistant and private secretary -- also told the outlet that she was one of 10 palace staffers who were interviewed during the investigation into the bullying allegations against Markle.
However, she did not go into detail about the matter.
In 2021, the Times of London reported that the duke and duchess' then-communications secretary, Jason Knauf, complained in October 2018 that Markle allegedly mistreated members of the royal household at Kensington Palace.
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According to an email sent by Knauf to Prince William's then-private secretary, Simon Case, the alleged bullying forced two assistants to quit and left others feeling "humiliated."
Prince Harry and Markle shared a royal household with Prince William and Kate Middleton at Kensington Palace until they decided to split in 2019.
(Photo : Paul Grover- WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Valentine Low, the journalist who broke the story, later shared more details in his book, "Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown."
The former royal correspondent alleged that Cohen quit working for Prince Harry and Markle after being "treated harshly" and "screamed at" by the couple.
Shortly after the bullying allegations emerged and just days before Markle and Prince Harry's bombshell sit-down with Oprah Winfrey aired, Buckingham Palace announced in March 2021 that it had launched an investigation into the claims.
At the time, Markle vehemently denied the bullying allegations, with her spokesperson referring to them as "a calculated smear campaign."
(Photo : Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
In a statement to the Times, the Sussexes' team said they believe that the timing of the allegations was "no coincidence," considering that they emerged just days before Markle and Prince Harry's interview -- in which they discussed their departure from the royal fold -- was scheduled to air on CBS.
"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," a rep for the duchess said.
According to the BBC, Buckingham Palace's investigation concluded in June 2022, but the results were kept private, and the identities of the people who took part were not disclosed.
