Author Claims This Is What Ultimately Led To Meghan Markle's Bullying Allegations
Meghan Markle's time in the royal family has been mired in controversy from the start. Since tying the knot with Prince Harry in May 2018, the Duchess of Sussex has been accused of breaking royal protocol on numerous occasions. And while royal protocols are no easy standard to follow, Meghan soon became easy pickings for the tabloid media. In July 2018, just two months after her marriage to Harry, Meghan breached royal protocol by getting involved in politics — seemingly offering her stance on abortion in Ireland, per Insider.
With their actions under intense scrutiny, both Meghan and Harry stepped back from royal duties in January 2020, ultimately moving across the pond to Montecito, California. Shortly after, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex partook in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, where Meghan lamented on her mental health struggles and accused the royal family of "perpetuating falsehoods," according to the BBC.
Of course, it all descended into a game of "He Said, She Said," as Meghan was also accused of bullying by Kensington Palace staffers — which came to light just days before Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah. The couple's communications assistant, Jason Knauf, initially filed the complaint in October 2018, stating that Meghan "was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year," per the New York Post. Now, a royal expert is setting the record straight.
Meghan Markle's alleged bullying was the result of a 'culture clash'
Conducting yourself as a royal must be exhausting, especially if you didn't grow up within the noble bloodline. Add on the fact that one grew up halfway around the world and you have a recipe for disaster. For Meghan Markle, no sentiment rings truer. In 2018, the California native was thrust into a completely different world — both physically and culturally — after marrying Prince Harry. As time went on, Meghan became the brunt of the British media and was even accused of bullying palace staffers out of work by former communications assistant Jason Knauf. The accusations, however, have been chalked up to being a "culture clash," according to royal author Christopher Andersen.
"Particularly within the royal household they're very indirect in the way they do things," Andersen told Insider, adding that, "The kind of plain-spoken, upfront personality, distinctly American approach that Meghan has to getting things done just rubs them the wrong way."
Despite such, the bullying allegations hedged against Meghan were eventually rescinded. In "Finding Freedom," a book penned by royal experts Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, the two write, per ET, that "sources confirmed that upon discovery of Jason [Knauf]'s email, two of the individuals mentioned in the email asked for any allegations made to HR about their experiences with Meghan to be rescinded."