Kate And William's Aide Who Accused Meghan Markle Of Bullying Just Quit. Here's Why
The name Jason Knauf may not ring too many bells, though what he did certainly might. As the Associated Press reported on March 3, Knauf, an aide to Prince William and Kate Middleton, accused Meghan Markle of bullying staff when he worked for her and Prince Harry as their communications chief.
Citing unnamed "royal aides," the Times of London reported that Knauf filed a complaint in October 2018 in which he accused the Duchess of Sussex of bullying two senior members of her staff to the point of quitting, and making a third employee feel "humiliated." According to the outlet, Knauf sent a formal email to a senior royal official expressing that he was "very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs of the household in the past year."
A spokesperson for Meghan and Harry called the allegations "a calculated smear campaign" in a statement, per Today. According to AP, Buckingham Palace launched an internal investigation in March to address the accusations. "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 continued. The royal family has yet to release the findings.
In May, Knauf announced he will no longer work for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Keep reading to learn why he is stepping down.
Jason Knauf is stepping down for 'personal reasons'
Jason Knauf, who has worked for the British royal family for the past seven years, according to The Sun, will step down as the CEO of Prince William and Kate Middleton's Royal Foundation later this year. The Texas native is leaving due to a "planned international relocation," per a press release released on May 12 (via Page Six).
"Working with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been the privilege of my career," Knauf said in a statement obtained by Hello! Magazine. "The months ahead will be the busiest time in the Foundation's history. ... We have a lot to do with our amazing team and all of our partners," he added. Citing an "insider," Newsweek reported that Knauf is leaving for "personal reasons" after his partner accepted a job overseas, which The Daily Mail described as a "diplomatic position." Well, the timing is certainly interesting.
William and Kate shared their appreciation for Knauf in a statement, praising his work at the foundation and noting they "are sad to see him go," per The Sun. "Jason has been an integral part of our team since 2015. We are immensely grateful for his hard work and commitment, both at the Royal Foundation and previously as our communications secretary," they said, per the outlet. William and Kate added that his replacement at the Foundation, as The Sun wrote, "will be announced in the coming weeks."