Palace delays spark ‘cover-up’ questions

Mr Knauf not to pursue the allegations –although lawyers for Harry and Meghan have denied this.

The alleged bullying victims said they were reduced to tears, while another aide, fearing a confrontation with Meghan, apparently told a colleague: “I can’t stop shaking.”

Another ex-employee alleged they had been personally “humiliated” by Meghan. The former worker also claimed two other staff members had been bullied. Another aide claimed Meghan’s behaviour felt “more like emotional cruelty and manipulation, which I guess could also be called bullying”.

There has been no known court case against a royal – though workers in royal palaces have brought cases LEGAL CASE against colleagues. Insiders Princess Di have claimed concerns were

raised but not acted upon. Ex-Home Office minister Norman Baker said Meghan and Harry, and the Palace, were “behaving badly”, adding: “It’s highly suspicious these allegations should come out now.”

The Lib Dem MP, still on the Privy Council advising the Queen, added: “This whole episode is doing immense damage to the royal family. No one comes out with clean hands.”

Max Winthrop, former chair of the Law Society’s influential Employment Law Committee, said that when there are delays in dealing with allegations of bullying: “People in tribunals will be asked why they failed to act and

BUCKINGHAM Palace chiefs face growing questions over whether they “covered up” allegations of bullying to protect Meghan Markle.

MPs and legal experts said the 18-month delay in launching a probe into allegations of mistreatment could be seen as “suspicious”.

Sources claim more than 10 aides are already lined up to give evidence over allegations two senior members of staff were bullied by the Duchess.

The Palace wants to see if “lessons can be learned” from the handling of the complaints.

It comes as Princess Diana’s former solicitor, Suzanne Mckie QC – who represented Diana in 1996 when she paid an undisclosed sum to a sacked maid – told the Sunday Mirror that staff “could bring a personal injury claim if they suffered psychiatric injuries as a consequence of the bullying”.

This week it emerged former communications chief Jason Knauf emailed Prince William’s private secretary Simon Case – now head of the civil service – in October 2018.

Mr Case forwarded the message to Samantha Carruthers, then-head of HR for Prince William and Prince Charles. In his email, Mr Knauf said Ms Carruthers “agreed with me on all counts that the situation was very serious”, but added: “I remain concerned that nothing will be done.”

Harry reportedly “pleaded” with