Meghan Markle is responding to a recent report that she bullied her former assistants, with her spokesperson calling it a “calculated smear campaign.” British newspaper The Times published allegations about Markle bullying her assistants while she was living in Kensington Palace in October 2018. The report alleges that Markle reduced staffers to tears and bullied two senior assistants into leaving their jobs.
In response, Markle has issued a statement from her spokesman denying the allegations. “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.”
The statement says Markle “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.”
According to the BBC’s Royal correspondent Jonny Dymond, many of the Palace staff members have been nursing resentment for a long time now. Dymond claims that several current and former staffers have “for some time itched to get their side of the story out.” Many of them helped Markle with her extravagant wedding and later claimed to be treated rudely or even dismissed from Royal service altogether.
However, Markle denies the allegations and her lawyers have stated that one employee left after findings of misconduct. Meanwhile, Markle’s spokesperson claims that the report is an attempt to defame her shortly before her and Harry’s primetime interview with Oprah Winfrey airs on Sunday.
“Let’s just call this what it is — a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation,” the spokesperson says in a statement. “We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet.”
As for the timing of the report? “It’s no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years,” Markle’s spokesperson says.
Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah airs Sunday, March 7 at 8 p.m. on CBS, and on Monday, March 8 at 9 p.m. GMT on ITV in the UK.
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