Meghan Markle sends lawyer to defend ‘difficult boss’ claims

Meghan Markle has authorised her lawyer to appear on camera and address allegations that she bullied staff while she was a working member of the royal family.

Meghan Markle has granted a lawyer permission to appear on a BBC documentary and deny that the Duchess of Sussex bullied staff when she worked in the palace.

The first episode of The Princes and the Press - a two-part series which explores the royal family’s relationship with the media - aired in Britain on Monday night.

Meghan reportedly granted permission to her solicitor Jenny Afia, from top law firm Schillings and who is representing Meghan in her privacy and copyright infringement case against the Mail on Sunday’s publishers, to speak on-camera about the issue.

“This narrative that no one could work for the Duchess of Sussex, that she was too difficult or demanding a boss, and that everyone had to leave, is just not true,” Ms Afia told host Amol Rajan.

In a trailer for the second part of the documentary — set to air November 29 — Ms Afia said that “the overall allegation is that the Duchess of Sussex is guilty of bullying” and claimed that she was “absolutely not.”

In March, The Times in the UK claimed that Meghan faced a bullying complaint made by one of her close advisers during her time as a working royal at Kensington Palace.

There is currently an investigation into whether she mistreated staff during her time as a

working royal - with former aide Jason Knauf sending a memo detailing his concerns which was later leaked.

“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,” a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement after the allegations were made public.

“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.”

Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrive to the Intrepid, Sea Air & Space Museum's inaugural Intrepid Valor Awards on November 10, 2021 in New York. (Photo by Bryan R. Smith / AFP)

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry on June 5, 2012 in London, England. Picture: Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

The documentary also explores Prince William and Prince Harry’s complex relationship with the media in the wake of the tragic death of their mother, Diana, in 1997.

In an extraordinary joint statement, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Clarence House blasted the BBC for airing “overblown and unfounded” allegations about the royal family in the documentary.

The three royal households representing the Queen, Charles and William issued the statement to the BBC ahead of the broadcast.

“A free, responsible and open Press is of vital importance to a healthy democracy,” it read,

“However, too often overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility.”

Lawyers for the Royal Family were reportedly on standby over the two-part BBC2 series which included claims by Omid Scobie - a royal journalist dubbed ‘Meghan’s mouthpiece’ - that insiders from other royal households had briefed against the Sussexes.

No members of the Royal Family took part in the documentary.