Jason Knauf, a former royal aide, has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding allegations that Meghan Markle bullied palace staff.
The former senior staffer, who worked closely with Prince William and Princess Kate for seven years, appeared on 60 Minutes Australia to discuss his time in the royal household.
During the interview, he reflected on the intense scrutiny he faced after an internal email he wrote about Meghan was leaked to the media.
The Leaked Email
In 2018, Jason raised concerns about Meghan’s alleged behavior toward staff in an internal email. Three years later, the email surfaced publicly just before Prince Harry and Meghan’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Meghan strongly denied the claims, asserting that she was the victim of a smear campaign.
Public Scrutiny
When asked about the media attention that followed, Jason admitted the situation was challenging.
“I think it’s tough, but it’s probably quite good. You know, 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 said.
He added, “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.”
Meghan’s Legal Case
In 2021, Jason became involved in Meghan’s lawsuit against The Mail on Sunday over a private letter she wrote to her father, Thomas Markle.
He provided evidence, including emails and messages, suggesting Meghan was aware the letter could be leaked. Meghan later apologized to the court, stating, “I had absolutely no wish or intention to mislead.”
The Palace’s Response
Buckingham Palace launched an internal review into the bullying allegations, but the findings were never made public. Meghan, 43, has consistently denied the claims, calling them “a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation.”
Since stepping back from royal duties, Meghan and Harry have focused on their charitable foundation, Archewell, and media projects in the U.S.
Jason, who stepped down as CEO of The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in January 2022, now serves as a board trustee for Earthshot. Despite leaving royal service, his experiences within the palace continue to draw attention.
