Buckingham Palace is denying that it orchestrated a “calculated smear campaign” of Meghan Markle ahead of her and Prince Harry‘s interview with Oprah Winfrey, set to drop on CBS this Sunday. Furthermore, it is opening an investigation into the allegations.
In a statement issued by the Palace Wednesday, they said: “We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article.”
“Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned,” the statement continued. “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 Duchess of Sussex, when asked about an article by The Times in the U.K. claiming she’d bullied staff members, says “The Times is being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative based on misleading and harmful misinformation” about her treatment of staff after former aides accused her of “emotional cruelty and manipulation,” reducing them to tears and leaving them “shaking” with fear.
Her lawyers said the former actress was “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.”
Meghan and Harry also issued a statement to ET, saying: “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. 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. 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.”
Senior royal aides told Mail Online that the complaints were not orchestrated by the royal family.
On Twitter, fans came out swinging for her. Wrote one: “The British Media thinks they are taking down Meghan Markle, but they are in fact slowly taking down the Royal Family.”