Just days before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's candid sit-down with Oprah Winfrey is set to air, the former royals are facing disturbing new claims about their time in The Firm.
On Tuesday 2nd March, The Times published a story about bullying allegations within The Firm. According to the piece, royal aides working under Meghan claimed that the Duchess was so difficult to work with that two aides had no choice but to leave her service. Meghan and Harry's former communications secretary Jason Knauf reportedly filed an official complaint to "protect" the aides from being further bullied, even though the Prince allegedly "begged" him not to make it into a human resources issue. The employees claim that they came forward to expose the "partial version" of Meghan's life as a member of the Royal Family.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Of course, it didn't take long before the Times story began to spread like wildfire across the internet, especially making waves in the corner of social media that hasn't been particularly fond of Meghan since she entered the royal circle back in 2016. It totally tracks with the long observed history of hit pieces about the former royal, with the negative media attention weighing so much on the couple that they have since fought back with lawsuits over the years.
The timing of the piece is especially interesting, considering the fact that the Sussexes are due to talk openly about the bevy of reasons (including overwhelming bad press) why they stepped back from the Royal Family in a televised interview with Winfrey this weekend. From the first teasers of the conversation, it looks like Meghan and Harry will bare it all in the interview.
😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/TuxzmCR3bz
— ArchieMegHaz (@ArchieMegHaz) March 1, 2021
"I'm just really relieved and happy to be sitting here, talking to you with my wife by my side," says Harry in one clip, holding Meghan's hand tightly. "Because I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like for [my mother Princess Diana] going through this process by herself all those years ago. It has been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we have each other."
Meghan and Harry's camp have since responded to the allegations made by The Times and the royal staffers:
"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," said a spokesperson for the Sussexes in an official statement. "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."
If people weren't already planning to tune in for Meghan and Harry's interview before this scandal broke out, they're definitely going to be watching it now. Oprah with Meghan and Harry will air on ITV this Monday 8th March.