Royal aides 'incandescent' over Meghan Markle smear claims amid all-out war at Palace

The Queen tonight ordered an investigation into explosive claims that the Duchess of Sussex bullied her staff during her time as a working royal.

Buckingham Palace will examine allegations from former aides who accuse Meghan of “emotional cruelty and manipulation”.

The probe, launched while the Duke of Edinburgh is battling illness and infection in hospital, will revisit a complaint made about Meghan in 2018 by one of her closest advisers.

According to The Times, Jason Knauf, the Sussexes’ then communications secretary, claimed Meghan “drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member”.

Meghan’s lawyers hit back suggesting the newspaper was “being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative”, before the Sussexes interview with US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey is broadcast on Sunday.

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Senior palace sources said aides were “incandescent” after being accused of a “smear campaign” against the Duchess.

A senior palace source said: “We have not been briefing around the Oprah Winfrey programme or anything to do with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at all.

“It is totally disingenuous, frankly ludicrous and wholly untrue to suggest anyone at the Palace has been peddling disinformation and has been briefing on these matters.

“There are far, far more important things going on right now than the circus surrounding a media appearance.

"To be accused by lawyers of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is astonishing.”

The Queen is understood to have demanded urgent action in a meeting today with her most trusted advisors as the scandal threatens to engulf The Firm.

A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

“Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article.

"Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned.

"The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.”

The policy outlines “the principle of maintaining a healthy, safe and enjoyable place of employment. Free from bullying, harassment and victimisation”.

The Mirror understands at least six former members of royal staff will be asked to give evidence “in the strictest of confidence”.

Palace sources said Harry and Meghan would not be invited to give their accounts in the first stages of the investigation, until the allegations are considered.

Senior royals are understood to be “dismayed” at reports of staff being reduced to tears, with one aide, reportedly anticipating a confrontation with Meghan, telling a colleague: “I can’t stop shaking.”

Sources said the family’s “sole focus” was on Prince Philip, 99, who has been in hospital for two weeks having tests for a heart condition as well as continued treatment for an infection.

The Duchess of Cornwall today spoke about her father-in-law during a visit to a vaccination centre in Croydon, south London, saying: “We heard today that he’s slightly improving. So that’s very good news.”

The Times report on Meghan claims sources came forward “because they felt that only a partial version had emerged of Meghan’s two years as a working member of the royal family and they wished to tell their side”.

Sources told the paper they thought Meghan wanted to be a “victim” so her “unbearable experience” would convince Harry they had to leave the UK, which her lawyers have denied.

Jason Knauf - pictured - made the complaint in October 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff.

A source told the newspaper Harry begged Mr Knauf not to take the matter further.

The Sussexes deny the meeting took place and that Harry would not have interfered.

Mr Knauf allegedly sent an email outlining the duchess’s alleged actions to Simon Case, Prince William’s then private secretary, after conversations with HR head Samantha Carruthers.

Mr Knauf reportedly wrote in his email: “The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights.”

The Times report alleged Samantha Cohen, who worked for the Queen for almost 20 years, was also targeted when she worked as a private secretary for the Sussexes, a source saying “nothing was ever good enough”.

Lawyers for the Sussexes said they denied they bullied her.

The duchess said “it’s not my job to coddle people”, the Times reported when her alleged treatment of staff was raised by a senior aide at a meeting attended by Harry.

Meghan’s spokesman said: “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.

“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.”

Other claims in The Times centre on how Samantha Cohen, who worked for the Queen for nearly two decades and is described by former colleagues as “an inspiring team leader” who “people loved working for”, was also targeted.

She worked as a private secretary for the Sussexes after they married and was also allegedly bullied, with a source telling the newspaper “nothing was ever good enough”.

Lawyers for the Sussexes said they denied they bullied her.

Trailers promoting the two-hour Oprah interview, which will be screened in the US on Sunday and then on ITV on Monday night, show the host asking “were you silent, or were you silenced?”.

Another issue raised by the newspaper was controversial jewellery worn by Meghan at a formal dinner during the Sussexes’ visit to Fiji in 2018.

The earrings were reported at the time to have been borrowed but were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia - likely to have approved the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi according to a declassified US intelligence report.

The newspaper reported lawyers for the duchess saying she was unaware of rumours alleging the Crown Prince’s involvement in the murder a few weeks before the dinner.

Kensington Palace declined to comment.