Show me the bullying evidence: Meghan Markle challenges Palace

The Duchess of Sussex throws down challenge to Buckingham Palace, requesting documents, emails and text messages relating to accusations she bullied staff.

Oprah and Meghan Markle interview on CBS.

The Duchess of Sussex has written to Buckingham Palace to request evidence in relation to bullying allegations against her.

The palace has instructed a law firm to handle the inquiry into the claims. The Times reported earlier this month that the duchess faced a bullying complaint from one of her closest advisers during her time at Kensington Palace.

The complaint was made in October 2018 and claims that she drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third member of staff. The duchess denies the allegations.

Buckingham Palace announced that it would carry out a review of the allegations after this newspaper’s reports.

On the weekend, The Mail on Sunday reported that Meghan had requested “documents, emails or text messages” relating to the case. A spokesman for the Sussexes declined to comment.

Buckingham Palace has launched an investigation into the bullying claims. Picture: Rob Pinney/Getty Images

Buckingham Palace has decided the investigation will be handed to “independent” external investigators, instead of the in-house inquiry initially announced. A royal source told The Sunday Times that “the actual worst incidences haven’t come out”.

The palace declined to comment but a source said that it would “not be providing a public commentary” as the circumstances of the allegations are looked into.

Lawyers acting for the Sussexes previously described the bullying allegations as “a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation”.

The claims emerged before the couple’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which Meghan said that her requests for help when she was feeling suicidal were ignored by palace staff.

She also said that her husband had told her that an unnamed member of the royal family had talked about the colour of their unborn son Archie’s skin. There were “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born”, the duchess said.

Winfrey later said that Harry had told her that “neither his grandmother or grandfather were part of that conversation”.

On Thursday his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, said: “We are very much not a racist family.”

In a statement issued after the broadcast of the interview, Buckingham Palace said: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”

The Times