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Meghan Markle ‘blamed Kate, Camilla & Charles’s aides for leaking stories about her’
THE DUCHESS of Sussex blamed Kate and Charles and Camilla's royal aides for leaking stories about her, sources have claimed.
Meghan Markle wrongly believed that their staff briefed negative stories about her to the media - including a report that she had left Kate in tears during a bridesmaid fitting before the royal wedding, a palace insider said.
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Meghan, 39, has long believed that Palace aides and even members of the royal family have been briefing the press about her, a source told .
She and husband Prince Harry wrongly believed that the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales’s households were briefing against them, the source added.
This included a report that said the Duchess of Cambridge was left in tears following a fitting for Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress before Meghan and Prince Harry’s wedding in 2018.
According to the Times, Meghan also believed they had leaked a story about a tiara she wanted to wear to the wedding and how Harry had reportedly told the Queen's dresser Angela Kelly: "what Meghan wants, Meghan gets."
It was later reported the argument was over the arrangements for a fitting, not a tiara.
It comes amid claims that:
- 10-aides are 'lining up' to help the Palace with their investigation into the bullying claims
- Meghan's friends said the Oprah interview had brought 'relief' and been 'cathartic'
- Meghan had 'furious rows' with palace aides over freebie designer clothes
- Meghan's pal accused the palace of racism - and said the star 'knew it would get ugly' before the Oprah interview aired
- Harry 'spoke to his wife about her behaviour when talking to staff' - even 'gently admonishing her' for the way she spoke to them
- The former actress 'turned and hissed' at a member of staff during a row in a Fiji market - leaving the employee 'in tears'
This comes after Meghan accused The Firm of “perpetuating falsehoods” in a teaser clip for her bombshell chat with Oprah Winfrey set to be aired on Sunday.
It emerged after the Palace launched a probe into claims reported in the Times that Meghan had forced royal staff to quit and left others in tears over her demands.
Meghan denies the claims and her lawyers said that the newspaper was "being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative” ahead of the interview.
The Times reports that Buckingham Palace were "deeply upset" by this suggestion.
The source said: “It is absolutely untrue that the Palace has been peddling disinformation or conducting any kind of campaign ahead of the interview. The Palace has not got involved. It has clearly not been coming from us.”
The source added: “They assumed that the men in grey suits were obsessed with destroying them.”
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In the 30-second clip released ahead of Sunday’s interview with Oprah, which will air at 8pm US time, the talk show host asks the duchess: “How do you feel about the Palace hearing you speak your truth today?”
Pregnant Meghan replies: “I don’t know how they could expect that, after all of this time, we would still just be silent if there is an active role that the Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us.”
“And, if that comes with risk of losing things, I mean, I … there is a lot that has been lost already.”
It is not known what “falsehoods” Meghan is accusing the royals of as the interview was recorded in Los Angeles before the bullying allegations
Meanwhile, Meghan’s pal the actress Janina Gavankar has come out in support of her long-time friend, rebutting claims she is a ‘bully’.
She's not a bully
Janina Gavankar
“I have known Meghan for 17 years. Here’s what she is: kind, strong, open. Here’s what she’s not: 'a bully',” she said in a tweet.
“ANY of us who know her, feel the same thing from her broken silence: Relief.
“The truth shall set you free.”
There are fears the fallout from the Oprah interview is shaping up to present the biggest crisis in the monarchy since Princess Diana’s death and her divorce from Charles in the 1990s.
It comes as Meghan is facing allegations of bullying staff made by one of her closest advisors during her time at Kensington Palace.
A source told newspaper the Duchess of Sussex drove two personal assistants out of the household and undermined the confidence of a third.
It is claimed allegations of bullying at the palace were submitted by Jason Knauf in October 2018 who was the couple’s communications secretary at the time.
At least 10 former aides are now “queuing up” to share their experiences of working for Meghan after being promised complete confidentiality by the palace.
Sources connected to the group of aides said they were all considered to be “hugely professional and proud of their efforts” while working at Kensington Palace.
One said: “A group of people are queuing up to be involved. They have been silent for too long and there is much to talk about.”
Despite the increasing tensions, last night senior members of the Royal Family united in a show of strength behind the Queen.
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Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate would be joining the 94-year-old monarch in a TV address to the Commonwealth praising “the family of nations”.
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The announcement came after news that Prince Philip had successfully undergone surgery in hospital, which sources said may have been to have a second stent fitted.
The Commonwealth celebration will take place just hours before Harry and Meghan’s US interview is due to be screened.
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