However, some are questioning the investigation and the series of events that preceded it due to some extremely fishy details.
Meghan Markle Behind Closed Doors
Nearly every outlet that reported on the situation noted that the sequence of events was extremely unusual, especially given the fact that Markle hasn’t even been in the UK for quite some time and that the allegations aren’t even new. Instead, the Times seemed to roll out a series of negative articles about the Duchess of Sussex, ranging from the bullying claims to arguing that she wore earrings that were in poor taste. Soon after the series of stories were posted, the Palace responded to the claims in a prepared statement that said there would be a formal investigation.
There are a number of reasons that fans of Meghan Markle are calling out the claims. For one, Twitter users who say that they’ve had personal experience with Markle say that the bullying claims don’t add up. Given Markle’s years in Hollywood as a star actress, there weren’t any accusations about her behavior behind-the-scenes. Instead, she seemed to be well-liked by most people that worked under her, which runs counter to shocking allegations made to the Times.
I worked on a set in Toronto when Meghan was on Suits. The ADs, PAs, and other crew on my show who had also worked with her loved her. LOVED. Set dynamics being what they are… I do not believe this bullying narrative for a microsecond. https://t.co/451hrQB94r
— angela harvey (@nationsfilm) March 3, 2021
Where Was The Prince Andrew Investigation?
The other catch, critics argue, is that it’s frankly bizarre for a public announcement of a bullying investigation when Prince Andrew, a known associate of sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his cohort Ghislaine Maxwell, has had less scrutiny applied to him after his connection with Epstein was made public. Many on social media have been quick to point out that Prince Andrew claimed he’d never met Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleged that she’d been forced to have sex with the disgraced royal while she was underage, despite the fact that there was a photograph of him with his arm around her waist.
Ok and then investigate whether Prince Andrew is a pedo or not https://t.co/GOrRm6k2j2
— David Hughes (@david8hughes) March 4, 2021
Why Are They Bringing Up The Claims Now?
Buckingham Palace responding to any story is surprising enough, but the biggest problem, critics of the royal family say, is the fact the Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first interview since moving to America is set to air this Sunday. The couple, interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, is expected to open up about the reasons they left the royal family and the frustrations they’ve had with the treatment they’ve received from the press and the palace itself.
Markle has been subject to a relentless stream of negative press and blatantly held to double standards — allegations that Buckingham Palace either didn’t respond to or mildly dismissed. It looks awfully suspicious for the palace to suddenly call attention to the controversy mere days before the interview airs, almost as though it’s an attempt to discredit and distract from the possible content of the conversation.
Princess Diana Received Similar Treatment
Likewise, the amount of “leaked” negative comments from anonymous “palace insiders,” as well as the claims made by those untraceable sources are remarkably similar to the hostile coverage Princess Diana, Prince Harry’s mother, received when she started to separate herself from the royal family. For many, it looks an awful lot like the royal family is responding to the possibility of Markle criticizing the institution the same way they responded to Princess Diana.
In the 90s they leaked to the press how Princess Diana was shouting at the staff and scaring them
Like any long running band they’re not playing any new material, they’re just recycling their greatest hits#MeghanAndHarry
— nazir afzal (@nazirafzal) March 4, 2021
We can’t speak to the veracity of the claims or what’s currently going on at Buckingham Palace. What we can do is say that we’re more than familiar with anonymous and mysterious “sources” making negative — and ultimately false — claims about Meghan Markle. Once the interview with Oprah Winfrey airs this weekend, we’ll know more about the situation. We’ll be live-tweeting the groundbreaking conversation on our Twitter, so if you can’t tune into the program, we’ll share any new takeaways there.