Meghan Markle is speaking openly about her experiences with the royal family in a sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey that will air on Sunday. In a preview of her tell-all chat with Winfrey, the Duchess of Sussex said she believes the palace was involved in making her and Prince Harry's lives difficult and "perpetuating falsehoods" about them.
Ahead of Markle’s interview, Buckingham Palace said Wednesday that it would investigate recent bullying allegations made by the Duke and Duchess's former staff, which were revealed earlier this week in an article published by The Times. According to the report, several former palace aides said Markle left them "shaking" and accused Harry of being an "enabler" of her alleged rude behaviour. But the timing is certainly convenient, given that the allegations and subsequent investigation came to light just days before Markle's interview is scheduled to air. A spokesperson for Markle said she is "saddened" by the "attack on her character."
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The royal family's seemingly relentless attacks on the former Duchess are also cause for scrutiny, considering the fact that Prince Andrew's reputation remains relatively intact, despite his close ties to the late financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew's name was repeatedly mentioned in legal depositions surrounding accusations against Epstein for running a decades-long sex trafficking ring with socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. In one document, accuser Virginia Giuffre said she was forced to have sexual relations with Andrew on three separate occasions when she was a minor, which he denied. Giuffre said the prince was one of Epstein's regular clients.
Prince Andrew also stayed with Epstein on 10 separate occasions over a 12-year period, sometimes for days at a time. Andrew remained friends with Epstein even after he was arrested in 2006 on charges of soliciting prostitution. Further, the royal has been accused of using racial slurs and making racist comments about Arabs.
When accusations about Prince Andrew's involvement in Epstein's sex trafficking affairs came to light in 2019, Buckingham Palace denied the allegations. A statement noted, "His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behavior is abhorrent."
But of course, when a woman of colour is given a platform to speak up about her mistreatment by the royal family, the institution is decidedly taking a stand against Markle for apparently being rude. Buckingham Palace is ready to investigate claims made against Markle while providing cover for an accused sexual abuser. The hypocrisy and double standards from the royal family couldn't be more blatant.