Prince William has appointed Jason Knauf, the former royal aide who accused Meghan Markle of bullying palace staff, as the new CEO of The Earthshot Prize, intensifying scrutiny over the royal household's internal dynamics.
Knauf's appointment, announced by the Earthshot Prize Board of Trustees on Thursday, comes as current CEO Hannah Jones prepares to step down this summer after four years at the helm of the Prince of Wales' flagship environmental initiative. Jones, a former Nike executive, will continue to serve in an advisory role during the leadership transition.
Knauf previously served as CEO of The Royal Foundation and as communications secretary to both Prince William and Prince Harry. He left the royal household in 2021 after seven years of service. In 2018, he wrote a now-leaked email alleging that the Duchess of Sussex bullied two personal assistants out of the royal household, claims that led to an internal review by Buckingham Palace. The palace never released the findings of the investigation.
In February, Knauf reignited the controversy during an appearance on Australia's 60 Minutes, stating that he had "no regrets" about coming forward and "wouldn't change anything." He described the period as "hard and sad," particularly for those close to both William and Harry. "It's very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye," Knauf said, adding, "he's [William] chosen to keep his thoughts on it private."
Meghan Markle has denied the allegations, calling them part of an orchestrated smear campaign. Her representatives have not responded to Knauf's recent comments.
In a statement, Prince William praised Jones's contribution to Earthshot, saying she had "built The Prize into a world class organisation," and said he looked forward to working with Knauf on the next phase of the initiative.
"As we look ahead to the future of The Prize and the urgent work needed to scale more inspiring solutions to the world's greatest challenges, I look forward to working with Jason to chart the course for the next five years of The Earthshot Prize and beyond," William said.
