SAD NEWS: Prince William Makes Heartbreaking Confession About Staff’s Bullying Accusations Against Meghan
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were accused of bullying their staff just days before their infamous Oprah interview. Long-time royal aide Jason Knauf alleged that the Sussexes blatantly mistreated their aides. While Prince William initially kept mum on Knauf’s claim, he accidentally confirmed his true feelings recently when he hired Knauf as the CEO of The Earthshot Prize, an award he founded.
Knauf had previously filed a complaint accusing the Duchess of Sussex of bullying staffers in October 2018. Last week, on April 17, the announcement of Knauf’s appointment hence came as a surprise when a press release cited that the current CEO, Hannah Jones, would be stepping down. As reported by People magazine, William also made a statement, which read, “As we look ahead to the future of The Prize and the urgent work needed to scale more inspiring solutions to the world’s greatest challenges, I look forward to working with Jason to chart the course for the next five years of The Earthshot Prize and beyond.”
In a statement shared on the organization’s website, Knauf shared that he was ‘honored’ to be appointed as the next CEO. He penned, “Look forward to working with our exceptional team and incredible Earthshot community to advance our mission of urgent optimism for our planet. The Prize has already achieved so much, and the future potential is vast. I can’t wait to get started.” The royal aide had previously worked as a communication secretary for both the Waleses and the Sussexes before becoming the Kensington Palace Communications Director.
In 2021, Knauf made headlines when his formal complaint against the Duke and Duchess of Sussex resurfaced just before their Oprah interview. As reported by the Times, he alleged, “The Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year,” and was ‘seeking to undermine’ the confidence of a third employee. His claims led to an internal investigation by Buckingham Palace. All royal staff were informed of new rules, which included a robust approach that would allow them to file appropriate complaints about their working conditions. Another damaging report by The Hollywood Reporter featured interviews with Palace aides, who nicknamed Markle ‘Duchess Difficult.’
Harry and Markle, unsurprisingly, did not take kindly to Knauf’s claim. A spokesperson close to the Sussexes said in a statement to People, “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.” Markle’s legal team also dismissed the allegations as the ‘latest attack on her character.’ Jenny Afia, the head of the law firm that represents the Duchess, said that the term bullying was used ‘very, very casually’ and can be damaging for ‘career women.
