Clearing her name. Meghan Markle responded to bullying claims from a royal staff member, and she isn’t here for accusations she mistreated anyone at Kensington Palace.

The Times reported on Tuesday, March 2, that several royal staff members approached the newspaper with allegations that one of Meghan’s former aids filed a bullying complaint against her when she and her husband, Prince Harry, lived at Kensington Palace.

In response to the rumors, a rep for the Duchess of Sussex issued a statement to royal correspondent Omid Scobie—who is also the author of the 2020 book, Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family—denying that Meghan ever bullied a member of the royal staff.

“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,” the statement read.

The statement continued, “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.”

The Times reported on Tuesday that Meghan and Harry’s communications secretary, Jason Knauf, filed a complaint with Prince William’s secretary at the time, claiming that that Meghan mistreated two personal assistants at Kensington Palace and undermined a third employee. Sources claimed to The Times that staff members would often cry because of the Duchess of Sussex, with one aide telling The Times that they couldn’t “stop shaking” when they knew that they would have to work with Meghan.

Image: Courtesy of Dey Street Books.

In a statement to The Times, a spokesperson for Meghan and Harry called the accusations a “calculated smear campaign” and accused the newspaper of defamation. “Let’s just call this what it is—a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation,” the statement read. “We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet.”

The rep went on to suggest that the claims were a way to “undermine” Meghan and Harry ahead of their tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey titles Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special.

“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,” the statement continued.

Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special airs March 7 on CBS.

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