Meghan Markle is once again facing allegations of mistreatment from former royal aides, with royal correspondent Valentine Low claiming that some members of her staff were left emotionally shaken after working with her.

Speaking to American royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, per Daily Mail, Low said former staffers were deeply afraid of what Markle might do after they voiced concerns about their treatment.

"They were very worried about what Meghan would do to them," Low explained in the interview. "They viewed her capacity for revenge as infinite." He added that even after leaving their royal roles, the staff remained in a "psychologically delicate state" because of the experience.

Markle, 43, has always denied the bullying allegations. A spokesperson for her and Prince Harry dismissed the claims as "false, offensive, and long-discredited," claiming that they were part of a broader agenda to "dehumanize a woman who has consistently stood up for fairness, dignity, and truth." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have described the situation as an orchestrated smear campaign.

The bullying story was first reported by Low in 2021, just days before Meghan and Harry's sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey. According to Low, the timing was deliberate. "If the story had come out after the Oprah interview, it would have just looked like sour grapes," he said. "It'd be lost in the noise. Meghan would come across as this heroine, this person who'd been victimized."

Before publication, Low said the couple's legal team responded aggressively. "We got a very very long letter from their lawyers," he said. "Sometime later we got another slightly less long letter. It was very strong, saying basically 'watch out.' Then we published, and after that we didn't hear a word."

Low said his confidence in the story stemmed from direct access to documents and testimonies. "I had sight of various bits of documentary evidence. I saw things which totally backed up the story," he told Schofield.

Staff Turnover and 'Sussex Survivors'

The narrative of Meghan being difficult to work with isn't new. Former palace aide Jason Knauf accused her of bullying two assistants in a 2018 internal email, later leaked following the couple's royal exit. "The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights," Knauf wrote. "She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence."

Knauf, who once worked closely with Meghan and Harry, is now CEO of Prince William's Earthshot Prize. He was also made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in 2023 by William, signaling their ongoing trust.

He later appeared in an Australian documentary and stood by his allegations. "I wouldn't change a thing," Knauf said. "We had lots of great times, working on their wedding was an amazing magical experience, and I wish them all the best with their lovely family."

He and several others who worked closely with the couple reportedly refer to themselves as the "Sussex Survivors." Meghan's former aide Samantha Cohen, along with other royal staff, had been aware of the bullying complaints as early as 2018 and were among ten staff interviewed by Buckingham Palace during an internal review. The findings of that review were never made public.

Split Opinions on Meghan's Work Culture

Not everyone who worked with Meghan had negative experiences. Some staff described her as generous and thoughtful, known to send gifts like skincare products and dog leashes. Producer Jane Marie, who collaborated with the couple on Archewell Audio, called Meghan "a lovely, genuine person" in a Vanity Fair interview.

But others found her demeanor could shift. One insider who worked with her during the lead-up to the 2018 wedding described her as "lovely when it is all going her way but a demon when the worm turns."

Buckingham Palace has never released the results of its review into the bullying allegations. At the time, Harry and Meghan said it was a "calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation."

In their 2022 Netflix docuseries, Harry addressed the allegations. "If you speak truth to power, that's how they respond," he said, while also referencing what his mother Princess Diana endured. "To see this institutional gaslighting that happens, it's extraordinary."

Tags
Meghan Markle, Royal family, Prince Harry