New year brings no respite from snobby servants hating on Meghan

The Duchess of Sussex is being held to ransom by the Upstairs-Downstairs dramas of the Palace, writes Kerry Parnell.

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If Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, thought the New Year might bring more kindness towards her, she is mistaken. For it seems it’s on neither courtiers’ nor the British press’s resolutions list to give the new royal a break.

According to one expert, it is palace insiders who are leaking stories about the Duchess, not prepared to give the outsider — with the “‘ghastly” combination of being an American and an actor — a break.

“The biggest problem for Meghan is her background. She has gone from being a high-flying Hollywood actress to a member of the British aristocracy in a very short space of time,” Royal Central editor Charlie Proctor says.

Meghan can only keep her head down and focus on her new role as Duchess of Sussex. Picture: Getty Images

“Now she is held to ransom against a strict policy of protocol enforced by the royal family’s most senior courtiers.”

And there is not much she can do or say about it.

“People shouldn’t be under the illusion that just because Meghan is married to a prince, she is in charge and can do as she pleases,” Proctor says.

“It is those around her who hold the real power and it appears that they are leaking like sieves.”

Despite relentless negative stories of a fed between Meghan and Kate, the pair were all smiles together at Christmas. Picture: Getty Images

Since the couple returned from their successful — perhaps seen by “The Firm” as too successful — tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand in October, the HRH-crested knives have been out for Meghan, with stories emerging of how difficult the duchess is to work for and how she is feuding with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

“Her ‘brash’ American attitude has been an uncomfortable experience for many of the formal and terribly British courtiers,” Proctor says.

Meghan-hate continued through the Christmas break, with a range of alleged misdemeanours from her, such as “banning” Prince Harry from the traditional Boxing Day pheasant hunt — until he was photographed in Sandringham shooting as usual.

If reports are to be believed, Prince Harry’s new wife has banned him from hunting, alcohol and coffee. Picture: AP

While it’s not high on an animal-lovers’ to-do list, it’s unlikely Harry would give up what is a quintessential part of the upper-class lifestyle, even for his new wife.

Next it was suggested she refused to participate — until she went to the shooting lunch alongside Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

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As to the two wives’ alleged feud, on Christmas Day the women were all smiles as they walked into church at Sandringham, laughing and chatting.

Unable to establish any bitterness between the women, pundits instead found footage of Prince William fidgeting with his scarf and apparently giving his sister-in-law the cold shoulder.

Harry’s mum Diana, Princess of Wales, also endured a lot of sniping from Palace aides. Picture: Getty

If poor Harry is in need of a stiff drink after all the bitterness, reports claim he can’t even have that, or a cup of coffee, because his health-conscious wife has binned the beverages.

So why are courtiers being so cruel?

Proctor says it’s nothing new — with aides for Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales leaking stories throughout their split.

“Palace aides were ferociously peddling stories to the press in an attempt to undermine the Princess of Wales. These tactics worked,” he says.

“Polling at the time indicated public opinion of Diana shifted following the negative coverage of her in the papers.”

The constant barrage of leaks must be stressful for Meghan, whose baby is due in a couple of months. Picture: AFP

Diana could — and did — answer back, something that Meghan is unable to do for herself, instead having to keep her head down and concentrate on her new role.

“Meghan must continue fighting for the causes she cares about, such as the Hubb Community Kitchen cookbook, which she has championed so well,” Proctor says.

And while reading so many negative stories about herself must be stressful for the mother-to-be, who will have realised she can’t trust anyone within the palace walls, Proctor believes it will calm down eventually.

“Meghan is the new royal, and she hasn’t yet cemented her place in the royal family. But her public image is improving week by week and these stories will stop,” he says.