Meghan Markle Gearing Up For 'Brutal' Palace Showdown Over Bullying Claims, Duchess Requesting A 'Point-By-Point' Breakdown Of Allegations: Report
It looks like Meghan Markle isn't backing down from refuting the bullying claims lodged against earlier this year her by royal aides.
The Duchess of Sussex is reportedly requesting a "point-by-point" breakdown of the allegations made against her during her time as a working royal. "The feeling is this is heading for a brutal showdown between [the palace and] the Duchess of Sussex, who is understood to be disputing all allegations labeled against her," said an insider.
Meanwhile, the palace is also working tirelessly to get to the bottom of the accusations, with the source claiming: "The palace is taking each and every allegation very seriously and wants to get to the truth of the matter and ensure those speaking up deserve to be heard."
The bullying claims first made headlines in March after The Times London reported that the couple's former communications secretary, Jason Knauf, alleged the new mother-of-two — who welcomed daughter Lilibet Diana on Friday, June 4 — "drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member." The complaint was reportedly filed in October 2018.
However, according to Markle, "the staff were not up to their job and could not deal with the pressure of working for her and understanding how she wanted things to run," the source claimed of the 39-year-old's stance on the situation.
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- Meghan Markle Bullying Scandal Escalates: Outside Lawyers Reportedly Looking Into Stunning Claims Made By Royal Aides
- Buckingham Palace To Dig Into Bombshell Meghan Markle Accusations, 'Will Not Tolerate Bullying Or Harassment In The Workplace'
One day after the claims were brought to light, Buckingham Palace insisted they were "clearly very concerned" about the allegations and would have the palace HR team speak to current and former staffers about the controversial claims, OK! reported.
Soon after the Palace released their statement, it was reported that an independent third-party was brought in to investigate the claims against Markle, 39 — who stepped back from her senior royal duties with Prince Harry last year to start their lives anew in the U.S..
And while the independent law firm's findings were expected to be revealed this week, The Times London reported that the verdict could be delayed until 2022, as the investigation is "ongoing."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Sussex' has fiercely denied the allegations, calling them a "calculated smear campaign," given that the claims came about days before the couple's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey to discuss their side of life behind palace walls.
The Mirror reported that Markle is headed for a "brutal showdown" with the palace.
