Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s current and former employees have come out in full force to support the couple after the recent allegations about the Duchess published by a US publication.
Earlier this month, The Hollywood Reporter published a damning report labelling the Duchess of Sus𝑠e𝑥 “Duchess Difficult” and claiming that her staff are allegedly “terrified” of her and her “belittling” behaviour towards them.
The outlet cited sources saying that Meghan “marches around like a dictator in high heels, fuming and barking orders”, with one source adding: “I’ve watched her reduce grown men to tears”.
Also included in the report were allegations regarding the Duchess’s “noisy tantrums” and “angry 5am emails” that earned her the nickname “Duchess Difficult”.
But since then various current and former employees have come forward to the Duchess’s defence and said the claims were “fabrications”.
One of them, the couple’s ex-chief of staff Josh Kettler labelled the Sus𝑠e𝑥es “dedicated and hardworking” and spoke of how he was “warmly welcomed” upon joining their team.
Meanwhile, the publication insisted on its sources, with Editor-In-Chief Maer Roshan saying: “Our reporter talked to I think a dozen people, most of them are people who work very closely with the couple in various capacities now and previously.”
He added: “Our reporter talked to a very high-up source who works for the couple who said: ‘Everyone is terrified of Meghan Markle’.”
However, even more current and former Archewell staffers have come forward and spoke of what it’s really like to work for the Duke and Duchess of Sus𝑠e𝑥.
Ben Browning, Archewell’s former head of content, told Us Weekly that his experience working with Harry and Meghan has been “positive and supportive”, adding: “The narratives we’ve seen suggesting the contrary are untrue.”
Ashley Hansen, global press secretary to the Duke and Duchess and the head of communications for Archewell, spoke about her own experience with the couple when she had to take time off for a health issue: “When I told them, I was met with the kind of concern and care a parent would express if it were their own child. I was asked what I needed, how and if they could help, and told to take as much time as I needed.”
Ms Hansen claimed that Harry and Meghan sent flowers and care packages, “but most profoundly to me, Meghan would personally reach out to my husband daily to make sure that we both were OK and had support.
“It meant so much to him and even more to me. You don’t realise how much that kind of kindness and thought means until you need it.”
A current staffer who wished to stay anonymous described how colleagues were “dumbfounded by the claims”, adding: “It’s clear where this type of commentary is coming from. It’s likely made up from someone who’s disgruntled.”
They added: “They want to take care of us. Meghan will do things like, ‘You mentioned on the call your skin is bothering you, I put together a kit for you. ’Whenever staff goes to their house, they leave with a basket with fresh flowers, fresh fruit, fresh eggs.”
Meanwhile, a former employee praised the positive work environment and let slip how Harry casually chats to his employees during weekly Zoom calls.
They revealed: “He’s fun. He definitely takes the work seriously, but when a meeting starts, the first five or 10 minutes are all pleasantries, like, ‘How was your weekend?’ Or “How’s the construction going at the house?’”
“When I adopted my dog, the next day, I had a luxury brand leash and new collar on my doorstep.”
Regarding the claims about Meghan’s alleged “tantrums”, the former staffer described Meghan as someone who is “compassionate and understanding” and “gives clear direction and is solution-oriented” adding that they had “never” heard her shout.