Royal aide who accused Meghan Markle of bullying staff says he ‘wouldn't change anything'

Independent

24-02-2025

A former senior royal aide who accused Meghan Markle of bullying staff out of the royal household has said he 'would not change a thing' following the subsequent outcry.
Jason Knauf raised his concerns while working as communications secretary for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in an internal email in 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to act.
A spokesperson for the couple strenuously denied the allegation of bullying at the time.
Buckingham Palace launched an internal review into the claim of bullying but never made the findings public.
In a new documentary for 60 Minutes Australia, Where There's A Will, Mr Knauf, who worked for the royal couple of seven years, spoke of the public attention he received as a result of the leaked email. He said: 'I think it's tough, but it's probably quite good.'
'You know, as someone who has been helping other people through how to deal with the public eye, you probably had to take your own medicine sometimes,' he continued.
'You can't choose just to take the fun stuff in any job, and that applies to the Prince and Princess as well as everyone else working for them. So, I wouldn't change anything.'
When asked if he would do anything differently, he said: 'No, it's not what I would've sought, but you know at the end of the day, you get to do an amazing job. You've got to take everything that comes with it.'
Prior to his disagreement with the couple, Mr Knauf said he had 'great times' working with the Sussexes, describing their 2018 Windsor wedding as a 'magical experience'.
Mr Knauf was appointed Kensington Palace's communications secretary in 2015 and senior adviser in 2019, as well as chief executive of the Royal Foundation.
'We had lots of great times, working on their wedding was an amazing magical experience and I wish them absolutely all the best with their lovely family', he said.
The Independent has contacted the Sussexes for comment.
Mr Knauf also gave an insight into the alleged estrangement between Prince Harry and Prince William, calling it 'hard and sad' as he acknowledged that William had chosen to be 'private' about it.
The bitter feud between the pair was stoked further by the publication of Prince Harry's memoir Spare in 2023.
The Sussexes stepped back from official royal duties in January 2020 and moved to America from the UK in March.