The Duke & Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 2: December 2020-March 2021

[duchessrachel]

Interesting the Sussex's had send a legal letter of rebuttal to the Times.

Let’s just call this what it is — a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation.

"We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet.

"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."

Okay - If you can read the Times article your will note that the Times is simply reporting that accusation of bulling was made, not that it was truth. They have evidence of the accusation as they have the email. So the question has to be asked - what is the Sussex' rebutting?
The Times is not a tabloid. At this point in time - I think the Times editor is wondering if the email didn't come from the Sussex Team and if they weren't used for some PR and free Oprah advertising.

If that is the case, has Jason Knauf denied he sent the email?

 

[duchessrachel]

Hot! Buckingham Palace is set to properly investigate the allegations of bullying by Meghan.
I truly hope to eat my hat and that this was a total misunderstood situation, because no one deserves to be bullied by their superiors.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1367178932445982727

If BP finds that Meghan did not bully staff members, I feel that they will say so, but what if the evidence shows that she did? I wonder how they will handle that.

 

[Claire]

Afraid the tweet misleading - they are not investigating Meghan , they are having a Discord to find ways to prevent it happening again.
I was told that the palace drew a line under this years ago and it’s seems it wasn’t done correctly. So when the Times assked if it was investigate and correct procedures at HR. The palace were red faced. Yep , sorry to say if the complaint had been made against Joe Soap it might have been done correctly. But honestly we don’t even know if the Sussex’s were even made aware it. It appears the people were simply offered jobs elsewhere.

I also thought that it might be a miscommunication but I never brought the thing about the staff been angry about 3 am emails. In fact there was annoyance about the whole lazy British people can’t handle American energy and get up and go attitude. They really seem to have valid complaints, and there might have been many reasons why some wanted it pulled afterwards. One been they didn’t want to be se as rocking the boat. I have heard some of the complaints and am glad that’s it is finally been looked into.

 

[AC21091968]

Valentine Low did an interview on ITV about the bullying allegation, more specifically why he believes Meghan 'bullying' allegations were brought to him.

 

[camelot23ca]

While HR would oversee this a principal investigator will need to be brought in or appointed to investigate this. I

I think in house investigations can be effective but this is so high profile and the person at the centre of it all is so polarizing that the public might not accept the results of even a well run investigation out of Buckingham Palace. No matter what they found they’d be accused by some of hushing things up to protect Meghan and of digging for dirt to smear Meghan by others.

Plus there’s the fact that these events allegedly happened a couple of years ago and rumours have been circulating for almost as long. To me that indicates that, whatever happened, there probably was a certain degree of senior palace aides trying to smooth things over in the hope that things would get better and nothing would ever need to be made public. They would have been under an enormous amount of pressure to keep Harry and Meghan happy and well functioning as working royals, especially since they knew there were plenty of people who would accuse them of being out of touch and racist at the first sign of trouble.

I don’t think any investigation needs to be punitive, or even to make any sort of judgment on Meghan’s behaviour, or that of the aides. The focus shouldn’t be on one person, but rather on coming up with ways to deal with these situations going forward.

 

[QueenMathilde]

I think it's safe to say Harry and Meghan won't be at the queen's jubilee in July 2021 after this.

 

[Madame Verseau]

The alleged incident was two to three years ago; it's being investigated now? Several days before the Oprah interview? It looks suspect and it guaranteed more people will watch. CBS and ITV are getting free advertising from this stunt. I wonder if someone got a heads up what's in the interview; therefore the allegations are being deployed now.

 

[poppy7]

I think it's safe to say Harry and Meghan won't be at the queen's jubilee in July 2021 after this.

I think its looking increasingly unlikely that even Harry will ever be at any event ever again.

 

[poppy7]

The alleged incident was two to three years ago; it's being investigated now? Several days before the Oprah interview? It looks suspect and it guaranteed more people will watch. CBS and ITV are getting free advertising from this stunt. I wonder if someone got a heads up what's in the interview; therefore the allegations are being deployed now.

It wasn't being investigated. The paper published it but to be fair there were embers of this for ages we just didn't really listen. High staff turned ( we just went it happens people move on) Kate having a word with her about the way she was treating Kate's staff (oh no she wouldn't do that), making Kate cry at Wedding fitting (well she was hormonal), the Tiara (I absolutely believe she wanted Eugenies now). And you know it has been obvious that friends didn't like her.

It is being investigated now because the palace have too.

I am perfectly willing to believe that Meghan just didn't fit in and that she was considered difficult in this milieu.

 

[Pranter]

They wouldn't be there this year, assuming it is not cancelled, due to her pregnancy/childbirth.

There is no reason to think such dramatic things like they will never return again ...The Firm is not the family. Unless you are trying to say The Queen is doing this on purpose. Surely not!


LaRae

 

[Alison H]

I've just seen the press preview on Sky News. Even though the Government today announced some very important measures regarding continuing financial support for businesses affected by the pandemic, all this business with Harry and Meghan is all over tomorrow's front pages, with the left-wing Daily Mirror proclaiming "Monarchy at War".


This is awful. It doesn't look good for anyone, especially during the biggest crisis since the Second World War and with Prince Philip lying ill in hospital, and it must be very, very upsetting for the Queen. It's all getting out of hand - which was inevitable, when Harry and Meghan decided to do the Oprah interview - and someone really needs to try to calm things down.

 

[ACO]

“It’s not about what she does, it’s the fact she is so bloody opinionated all the time,” a source says one “frazzled” aide confessed after working on her May 2018 wedding.

Hmmm.

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a35716109/meghan-markle-disturbed-by-bullying-claims/

 

[TLLK]

The alleged incident was two to three years ago; it's being investigated now? Several days before the Oprah interview? It looks suspect and it guaranteed more people will watch. CBS and ITV are getting free advertising from this stunt. I wonder if someone got a heads up what's in the interview; therefore the allegations are being deployed now.

If you watch this interview, Valentine Low explains why the staff waited to contact him in recent weeks regarding the bullying accusations. In a nutshell, it was partly due because of the Duchess' lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday.

 

[poppy7]

“It’s not about what she does, it’s the fact she is so bloody opinionated all the time,” a source says one “frazzled” aide confessed after working on her May 2018 wedding.

Hmmm.

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a35716109/meghan-markle-disturbed-by-bullying-claims/

Awful article. I cannot believe this stuff. Well x is obviously Melissa and what is this implying Jason was sweet on her. I dont think their relationship is here nor there. Whole thing is ridiculous.

However so have noted that Melissa now works as a weekend Nanny. Or was. Which does speak of someone who ,at have been traumatised and looking for something to help her heal.

 

[soapstar]

However, missing from the paper’s report is the detail that neither staff member made complaints of their own or were aware that Knauf had sent an email to HR citing grievances. “When it became known to [the two individuals], they each asked for the matter to be rescinded and for it to not become an official complaint,” a source tells BAZAAR.com.

That part of the Harper’s article has been refuted by the Times author, who has said at least one of the accusers did not ask the claim to be rescinded. So I’m not sure how much weight to put into Scoobie’s article.

 

[poppy7]

That part of the Harper’s article has been refuted by the Times author, who has said at least one of the accusers did not ask the claim to be rescinded. So I’m not sure how much weight to put into Scoobie’s article.

None it's basically a press realise. Dreadful. If we are going to call put toxic cultures then we need to call out all toxic cultures.

Many royal staff tend to stay around for a long time if not forever. It says a lot. The truth is people couldn't get away from the Sussexes fast enough. And actually in this polarised nonsense about them we never look at that. What actually is the reality of the situation.

 

[evolvingdoors]

It wasn't being investigated. The paper published it but to be fair there were embers of this for ages we just didn't really listen. High staff turned ( we just went it happens people move on) Kate having a word with her about the way she was treating Kate's staff (oh no she wouldn't do that), making Kate cry at Wedding fitting (well she was hormonal), the Tiara (I absolutely believe she wanted Eugenies now). And you know it has been obvious that friends didn't like her.

It is being investigated now because the palace have too.

I am perfectly willing to believe that Meghan just didn't fit in and that she was considered difficult in this milieu.

Many of us here pointed out that all this smoke was very heavy and that someone should check for the fire.


I do have to say, seeing the chaos on twitter.. I am so painfully disappointed by fellow left wingers, individuals who pride themselves on their investigation skills, who always bang on about standing up for the disenfranchised person in cases of workplace bullying and harassment, yet without question are taking Meghan's side (a very privileged person!) and are literally shaming and gaslighting the victims- probably scaring them away from talking (and maybe even scaring other victims who are being bullied from talking about their own abuse by others, especially if their abuser is a non white person - out of fear they will be called racist)

Logically I understand both sides- I do, I get why her supports are supporting her (especially US ones), but at the same times: this is not new allegations, there have multiples, the palace literally protected her from them while not protecting the employees.

I'm just.. disappointed.

 

[SOS]

A lot is going on. I remember watching the wedding of Harry and Meghan. It did not feel like a lovely gathering of family and friends, It was a show. The bishop who never met Harry and Meghan before. And I wonder if Oprah will tell us in the interview why she got invited to the wedding because people claim she only met Meghan once before she got a wedding invitation. I was rooting for them but the wedding made me feel uncomfortable because I got the feeling a lot was going on behind the scenes.

This fight has no winners.

 

[victor1319]

"opinionated"

Sounds like a clash of cultures to me and not like bullying. Sure "What Meghan wants, Meghan gets!" (Prince Harry) and she might have been a Bridezilla, but...

"opinionated"

Maybe Meghan should have been saying "Sorry" more often... I feel this is every second word in a talk between English strangers.

 

[QueenMathilde]

A lot is going on. I remember watching the wedding of Harry and Meghan. It did not feel like a lovely gathering of family and friends, It was a show. The bishop who never met Harry and Meghan before. And I wonder if Oprah will tell us in the interview why she got invited to the wedding because people claim she only met Meghan once before she got a wedding invitation. I was rooting for them but the wedding made me feel uncomfortable because I got the feeling a lot was going on behind the scenes.

This fight has no winners.

Not only did Oprah get an invitation I read she sat where Meghan's family would have sat.

 

[poppy7]

A lot is going on. I remember watching the wedding of Harry and Meghan. It did not feel like a lovely gathering of family and friends, It was a show. The bishop who never met Harry and Meghan before. And I wonder if Oprah will tell us in the interview why she got invited to the wedding because people claim she only met Meghan once before she got a wedding invitation. I was rooting for them but the wedding made me feel uncomfortable because I got the feeling a lot was going on behind the scenes.

This fight has no winners.

Well not Harry.

I do feel for his situation really. Fell in love, the people who work for him complain about her, relationship with brother fails apart and then family business say on your bike.

He is definitely loser number 1.

 

[Fem]

Many of us here pointed out that all this smoke was very heavy and that someone should check for the fire.


I do have to say, seeing the chaos on twitter.. I am so painfully disappointed by fellow left wingers, individuals who pride themselves on their investigation skills, who always bang on about standing up for the disenfranchised person in cases of workplace bullying and harassment, yet without question are taking Meghan's side (a very privileged person!) and are literally shaming and gaslighting the victims- probably scaring them away from talking (and maybe even scaring other victims who are being bullied from talking about their own abuse by others, especially if their abuser is a non white person)

Logically I understand both sides- I do, I get why her supports are supporting her (especially US ones), but at the same times: this is not new allegations, there have multiples, the palace literally protected her from them while not protecting the employees.

I'm just.. disappointed.

It is quite literally, as I have seen someone pointing out earlier today, that the crowd who screams the loudest about having understanding and compassion and is against victim-blaming is... victim-blaming.

Also, I see people all the time trying to explain this as a "culture clash" of some sorts. My company operates in UK, USA, Poland and Romania, has employees from other countries as well. Do we have some culture clashes? All the time. But not one left anyone in tears, broken down (for more than a YEAR after it happened!) or resigning from work. Come on.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

Based on the preemptive things we are seeing from “sources” it makes me wonder just what they (The Firm) are afraid of being made public.

LaRae

Presumably, Harry and Meghan still require their staff to sign non-disclosure agreements. Do they do so because they afraid of something being made public? If you follow this logic, what's behind all these lawsuits to protect Harry and Meghan's privacy? What are they hiding?

The royal family is probably not thrilled but I doubt they are afraid of anything Harry and Meghan are going to say. Harry is not going to say anything personally negative about his family - he loves his family and Meghan loves him.

At the same time, the media firestorm is not going to help their image. It looks likely that Harry and Meghan are going to criticize staff and how the royal family operates (we don't hear Meghan's answer to the question about silent or silenced, but if she doesn't say she was silenced, the interview is going to fizzle pretty quickly).

Regardless of what happens, the royal family will get through this. I fully expect to see Harry and Meghan at big events like the Jubilee and the Trooping of the Color. The Queen has repeatedly confirmed that they are much loved members of the family.

 

[tommy100]

At the end of the day I can't help but feel, if there is even a shred of truth to the reports then there is not much that H&M can do - if you are happy to go and speak to Oprah about your side of walking out on the RF it is only fair to expect those you may be talking about to do the same. There is that horrendously new phrase - "everyone experiences things differently" and that is what is happening here. Meghan and Harry may feel their behaviour was okay but maybe not everyone around them did. I'm not judging H&M here, let's see what if anything comes out about these claims - but if you put yourself out there and tell your side people will feel they can tell theirs.

Of course if it is completely untrue then its not fair, if it isn't true I'd fully expect H&M to sue and win the case to be vindicated.

I really don't think has been leaked or is an attempt by BP to smear Meghan and Harry, it makes them look bad as an organisation. Ironically because it appears they protected Meghan against staff complaints which certainly puts another side of H&M vs 'the men in grey suits' spin we hear a lot about.

I do tend to believe the mantra - 'no smoke without fire' and I remember when everyone dismissed the talk of a feud or breakdown in relationship between Harry and William only for that to turn out to be true. I'm not saying this has to be as well just because of that.

The only real option now is for BP to get someone independent to investigate, put in place some recommendations and try and move on.

Certainly it seems, even if "bullying" is to strong a word for what happened, that there was something of a toxic working environment going on and that doesn't reflect well on anybody.

 

[lirienn]

It's a war (of roses?) I agree, there won't be winners in this story. Harry lost so much - his family and had to take side.
Meghan took a gamble to appear on Oprah and wanted to tell her story and build her image. She forgot there is always the other side of the coin. However, the Times is respected and some names are known and we'll be learning a lot more in the days to come. There were never such accusations made about Kate. Kate didn't apparently get along with the York sisters but nothing from the other working members for the firm.
All in all mobbing is a serious issue and it damages Meghan's PR image from now on. What she says on Oprah might be in contrast with allegations against her and she won't get now as much pity as she might have thought.
What's your take?

 

[Leopoldine]

I'm wondering if there might be any type of clause in their Netflix contract that addresses bad behavior like harassment or bullying.

 

[lirienn]

I'm wondering if there might be any type of clause in their Netflix contract that addresses bad behavior like harassment or bullying.

Netflix is so against bullying yet we have proof - the email which is very serious! Like you can't just unseen it! I'm afraid it's their undoing!

 

[Curryong]

There probably is an anti bullying clause in their contract, but these allegations from two to three years ago in a foreign country are just that, allegations and haven't even been investigated by the Palace yet. And nobody from their time in North America has accused them of anything of the sort.

 

[ACO]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1367252344740618246

It’s also possible the Duchess of Sussex is a good person thrust into an unimaginable world. Having spent 3 years working with her in her pre-Duchess days, I saw a warm, kind, caring person. I know nothing of her current situation but she gets the benefit of the doubt in my book.

 

[lirienn]

There probably is an anti bullying clause in their contract, but these allegations from two to three years ago in a foreign country are just that, allegations and haven't even been investigated by the Palace yet. And nobody from their time in North America has accused them of anything of the sort.

Yes but maybe more stories will come out and Netflix will probably support them but I guess they’re not exactly happy. Or ecstatic since it’s clicks. But for the pr image of the couple it’s a blow.. and chance for others to accuse them..