Meghan Markle Bullying Claims: Palace's Probe Is Complete But Findings Will Remain Private

An investigation into claims that Meghan Markle "bullied" palace staff has been completed. However, the findings will remain private, multiple outlets report.

According to Newsweek, it was revealed during a June 29 media briefing about the Sovereign Grant Report -- the royal's annual financial document -- that the investigation was complete. 

"I know many of you will want to know if our report contains any information into the review of the historic allegations of bullying that we announced in March 2021," Treasurer to the Queen, Sir Michael Stevens reportedly said during the press conference. "There is nothing on this in the report. As we said last year, this work was undertaken privately and had no Sovereign Grant [public] money spent on it."

Stevens added, "I can confirm though that it was a review of the handling of the allegations aimed at enabling the royal households to consider potential improvements to HR policies and procedures. The review has been completed and recommendations on our policies and procedures have been taken forward but we will not be commenting further."

After The Sunday Times reported earlier this month that the findings would stay private as a way to "limit tensions between the Sussexes and the palace" and "protect the privacy of those who took part" in the investigation, royal expert Katie Nicholl told ET that Queen Elizabeth II is doing her best to keep things "in-house."

"Everything that I'm hearing at the moment out of the palace is that the Queen doesn't want any more drama. She just doesn't want any more dirty linens aired in public," Nicholl told ET. "By taking it in-house, which is essentially what the Queen has done, she is trying to limit any further damage, any further damage to the monarchy, potentially any further damage to those members of staff who have made those allegations and also, possibly to the Duchess of Sussex, who denied those allegations."

Nicholl added that the Queen is trying to protect all parties involved. "It's been speculated that the reason that this investigation isn't going to essentially see the light of day, at least in public, is to protect those who spoke out and made these allegations of bullying against the Duchess of Sussex, to protect their privacy, to protect their anonymity," she explained. "And there is some speculation that this would not have been particularly pleasant reading for the Duchess of Sussex, and possibly she's being protected in all of this as well."

The investigation was launched in October 2021 following a report published by The Times which alleged Meghan faced a complaint of bullying back in October 2018 at Kensington Palace, claiming she "drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member." The report was released just days before Meghan and Harry’s highly-anticipated interview with Oprah Winfrey was set to air. 

In March 2021, a spokesperson for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex denied the bullying allegation, calling it a "calculated smear campaign."

The following month, a source told ET "the results of the investigation had been expected to be released this week, but it has been delayed."

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