Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wrote a 25-page report to refute claims that she intimidated royal household staff.
The Sussexes have hit back forcefully at accusations that Meghan drove two assistants out of their jobs with her behavior, with staff accusing the Duchess of yelling at them and contacting them during their parties.
The allegations, which were initially reported to human resources by Prince Harry and Prince Williams’ joint press secretary, sparked a review by Buckingham Palace.
Now Harry has used his new memoir, Spare, to protest the claims, calling them a ‘lie’ and saying he and Meghan provided a ‘evidence-filled’ report to prove it.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at the long walk from Windsor Castle following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Harry hit back at claims his wife bullied members of the royal household
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive with Prince William at a service to mark the RAF centenary at Westminster Abbey. Prince Harry says he and his wife produced 25-page report refuting bullying allegations
The Palace’s final report has been kept secret to protect participants, but Harry is referring to being part of a media program against him and his wife.
The Telegraph he reports in a section of the book, “It was so outrageous that even though Meg and I demonstrated their lie with a 25-page human resources report full of evidence, it was going to be very difficult for me to ignore. ‘
The allegations were made in 2018 when publicist Jason Knauf emailed his boss Simon Case claiming Meghan’s treatment of a staff member was “completely unacceptable”.
The temperature told Case, who was private secretary to Prince Williams and is now cabinet secretary: “I am very concerned that the Duchess may have bullied two APs out of the household over the past year.” The treatment of X* was totally unacceptable.’
He added: “The Duchess seems determined to always have someone in her sights. She intimidates and seeks to undermine his confidence. We have had report after report of people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior towards Y.’
Mr Knauf spent seven years working for the Royal Family, including as the Prince’s press secretary, special adviser to William and Kate and chief executive of the Royal Foundation.
He was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in New Year’s Honorssomething unlikely to have worked out well with the Sussexes.
In his book, which was published in Spain almost a week before its official publication date, Harry claims his wife has been unfairly portrayed as a “bully”.
Claims that Meghan Markle bullied staff members were made by Jason Knauf, former press secretary to Prince Harry and Prince William (pictured)
The Duke of Sussex’s memoir, titled Spare, will be published in the UK on January 10
The Duke claimed the princes’ personal offices made it easy for the press to attack them, and that when he tried to explain his views to William the conversation turned into a row over his interview with Opra.
In their Netflix documentary released in December, the Sussexes said that Meghan sometimes reduced royal staff to tears were part of a ‘calculated smile campaign’ in response to the interview.
James Holt, executive director of Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation, told Netflix: “The bullying story moment was even admitted by the journalist who wrote it that it was done explicitly because from the Oprah interview.”
Valentine Low, who revealed the story for the Timessaid victims of the alleged bullying “wanted to tell their story before the Oprah interview” or “their complaints would be lost in the noise.”
In an interview to publicize his memoir, Harry told CBS’ Anderson Cooper he believed that the people of the palace had “betrayed” him and his wife by “sowing stories” about them in the press.
In a teaser for the interview, which will air tonight in the US, the Duke of Sussex defended himself against public criticism of their decision to publicly castigate the Royal Family.
He insisted that he had “tried to do it in private”, but that “every time I tried to do it in private, there were briefings, leaks and stories against me and my wife”.
In the memoir, Harry claims while discussing the Oprah interview his brother lunged at him and grabbed his shirt, before invoking the memory of their mother, Diana.
The Duke said William warmed up on a walk after the funeral of their grandfather Prince Philip in April 2021.
Harry claims he was trying to address the bullying allegations made against Meghan, but his father and brother were “not listening”.
The argument erupted as Harry, William and Charles discussed the interview he and Meghan Markle had given to Oprah the previous month. The Sussexes are pictured during the interview
In an extraordinary excerpt from his forthcoming autobiography Spare, Harry recalls what he describes as a physical attack by his brother, now the Prince of Wales, which he says left him with visible injuries.
The California-based royal went on to allege William was ‘really hot’ and grabbed him as he tried to walk away.
“I waved in disgust, but he rushed over, grabbed my shirt. “Listen to me, Harold,” Harry wrote in his book, according to The Sun.
“I pulled back, refusing to meet his gaze. He forced me to look him in the eye. “Listen to me, Harold, listen! I love you Harold! I want you to be happy.
Harry claims to have replied, “I love you too… but your stubbornness is extraordinary!”
The Duke reportedly tried to pull away, but William allegedly ‘grabbed him again’ and ‘twisted’ him so the couple could maintain eye contact.
William then brought up the brother’s so-called ‘secret code’ and swore on Princess Diana’s life that his intentions were genuine, Harry wrote.
He writes that William said, ‘Harold, you have to listen to me! I just want you to be happy, Harold. I swear I swear on mom’s life.
Harry continued: “He stopped. I stopped. Dad stopped. He had been there.
He had used the secret code, the universal password. Since we were boys, these three words were only to be used in times of extreme crisis.
The Duke claimed his brother “wasn’t quite ready to accept defeat” and claimed to be “properly sick and sick” due to the tension between the two.
William reportedly reiterated: ‘I swear to you now on life mum I just want you to be happy’.
Harry claims his “voice broke” and he “softly” said to William: “I really don’t think you do.”
The older brother then allegedly hugged Harry and said, “I love you.”
MailOnline has approached representatives for William and Harry for comment.
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