Hopes dashed as the Firm’s ‘nothing-to-seehere’ policy suggests blood is thicker than water
No one was expecting the bullying report to be published in full – but the decision to renege on a promise to publish consequential changes to the royal household’s HR policies in today’s annual Sovereign Grant report represents more than a missed opportunity for “the Firm”.
If the investigation has led to the royal household “improving the policies and procedures” in its HR department, then why not share those with the public?
The decision, instead, to bury any lessons that might have been learned flies in the face of the Queen’s longstanding mantra that the monarchy should be as open as possible and not, as the Duke of Edinburgh once put it, “some sort of secret society”.
It also seems to confirm initial suspicions of an all-pervading “nothing-to-see-here” policy that protects principals at the expense of the people who serve them.
When he submitted the complaint in October 2018, Jason Knauf cautioned: “I remain concerned that nothing will be done.” After questioning whether “the household policy on bullying and harassment applies to principals”, he appears to have been largely ignored – despite his insistence that Samantha Carruthers, the head of HR, “agreed with me on all counts that the situation was very serious”.
As one source put it when the allegations came to light in March 2021, shortly before the Sussexes’ Oprah Winfrey interview: “I think the problem is, not much happened with it. It was, ‘How can we make this go away?’, rather than addressing it.” It was only when the accusations were plastered across the front pages two and a half years after Mr Knauf sent his email that the Palace instructed outside lawyers to probe the claims.
A spokesman said then: “Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learnt. The royal household has had a dignity at work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.” Yet there has never been a clear explanation of what processes are put in place when the finger of blame is pointed at a member of the House of Windsor. The Duchess – and by association Harry – are not the first royals to be accused of bullying – and probably won’t be the last if the Palace continues to be opaque about the measures that have been put in place to insulate employees from royal bosses who appear to transcend the HR department.
The Palace insists that, because the Queen privately funded the independent legal inquiry, the findings should not be published in the annual review as it only details the 96-year-old monarch’s public funding.
It also argues that any publication would compromise the confidentiality of those involved – even though sources have indicated that some of the alleged victims would not have any objection to being named.
The decision could perhaps also reflect the risk-averseness of an institution faced not only with the threat of legal action from the Sussexes – but talk of another Oprah interview, not to mention Harry’s forthcoming warts-and-all autobiography.
The couple were not invited to participate in the inquiry, but Meghan’s solicitor, Jenny Afia, a partner at the law firm Schillings, gave an interview to the BBC last year rebutting the claims. It came after a spokesman for the couple said they were the victims of a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation.
Throughout the Megxit saga, the Queen has rightly reiterated that Harry and Meghan “remain much loved members of the family”. But in concealing the conclusions drawn from a probe into the behaviour of two of HM’S nearest and dearest, the Palace has left the Queen open to suggestions that she regards blood to be thicker than water when it comes to the treatment of her hard-working staff.
The decision flies in the face of the Queen’s longstanding mantra that the monarchy should be as open as possible