Meghan says royal family can’t expect her silence if palace is ‘perpetuating falsehoods’
By Karla Adam and William Booth,
Joe Pugliese AP
LONDON — Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, said that she felt justified speaking out if Buckingham Palace was “perpetuating falsehoods” about her and her husband, Prince Harry.
A short video clip of Meghan making the comments to Oprah Winfrey was released early Thursday morning ahead of the airing of their interview.
In the video, released on social media by CBS, Oprah asks Meghan: “How do you feel about the palace hearing you speak your truth today?”
Meghan replied: “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,” — the term the royals are said to use for the whole apparatus of the family — “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.”
The clip was less than 30-seconds long, but it quickly dominated news websites and broadcast bulletins in Britain.
[Buckingham Palace to investigate whether Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, bullied her staff]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/video/world/meghan-accuses-palace-of-perpetuating-falsehoods/2021/03/04/2c93ab96-e9da-40ac-9f95-2ec0abda27db_video.html
It was the second teaser to be released from Meghan and Harry’s highly anticipated two-hour CBS special with Oprah, which airs Sunday evening in the United States, and a day later in the United Kingdom. In the first clip, Oprah suggests there could be sensational revelations.
“You’ve said some pretty shocking things here,” Winfrey says to the couple.
The interview was recorded before Buckingham Palace’s highly unusual statement Wednesday night that it would investigate allegations that Meghan bullied members of her staff.
The Times of London reported that Meghan was accused in a 2018 complaint of bullying staff, especially young women, “to the point of tears.” People claimed to the Times that the duchess had bullied two personal assistants, who then left their jobs, and had undermined a third.
Those allegations do not describe the alleged bullying behavior in any detailed way. It remains unclear what exactly Meghan did or said to staff, if anything.
In response to those claims, 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.”
The palace said in a statement that it was “very concerned about allegations in The Times” and that its human resources department would investigate. “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 palace said.
Meanwhile, the family patriarch, Prince Philip, 99, has undergone a “successful procedure” for a preexisting heart condition, the palace said in a statement Thursday. It said he would stay in the hospital for treatment, rest and recuperation “for a number of days.”
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