Meghan Markle's former royal staff members refrained from speaking publicly for years about their alleged mistreatment out of fear of what they perceived as the duchess's boundless capacity for revenge, according to royal journalist Valentine Low. The former Times of London correspondent, who covered the royal beat from 2008 to 2023, discussed the matter in a recent appearance on Kinsley Schofield's "Unfiltered" podcast.
They “viewed her capacity for revenge as infinite," said Low, author of Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown. He claimed the staffers who eventually provided anonymous accounts in his 2022 book were "very fragile" and "in a psychologically delicate state as a result of what happened to them at that time."
Low said the aides' silence persisted even after they left royal employment. "They'd left the employ of the royal family and they still were in a psychologically delicate state," he said, adding, If they "were difficult to work for then, they're difficult to work for now."
The book included allegations that Markle left staffers "broken" by what were described as "screaming tirades." According to Low, Meghan and Prince Harry's lawyers sent him a "very long letter" ahead of publication that was "very feisty" and warned him to "watch out." However, after the book was released, Low stated that he "didn't hear a word."
Markle's spokesperson responded forcefully to the renewed allegations, telling Page Six that Low "continues to desperately recycle false, offensive, and long-discredited allegations in an apparent bid to sell books and resuscitate relevance." The spokesperson further denounced the "harmful gossip," adding, "The Duchess has faced years of unfounded attacks masked as journalism in a never-ending smear campaign. ... Meghan remains undeterred by the noise and firmly focused on her family and work."
Low also commented on the legal ramifications, or lack thereof, saying the fact that journalists who covered the staffers' allegations "didn't get sued" suggested "there's probably something in it."
Markle became the Duchess of Sussex in 2018 upon marrying Prince Harry. The couple stepped back from official royal duties in 2020 and have since relocated to Montecito, California, where they live with their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.
