From the moment Jason Knauf accused Meghan Markle of bullying, a clear playbook emerged—whenever Meghan gained positive attention, these allegations resurfaced. Though Knauf filed his complaint in 2018, it only became public in 2021, conveniently timed to damage Meghan’s reputation. Now, in 2025, as the same claims return in Knauf’s interview with “60 Minutes Australia,” just before Meghan’s latest project launch, this article explores how Knauf’s role and the palace’s tactics have repeatedly used Meghan as a scapegoat to shield the monarchy from deeper scrutiny.
Related | Prince William Appoints Aide Tied to Meghan Markle Smear Campaign
The Role of Jason Knauf
Jason Knauf is central in the bullying allegations against Meghan Markle. He served as the communications secretary for both the Cambridges and Sussexes. In 2018, Knauf filed a complaint accusing Meghan of mistreating staff.
However, reports later revealed that he did this without the consent of the alleged victims. When they refused to support the claims, he still went forward with the complaint, and the details made their way to the press.
Instead of addressing the allegations privately within the palace, the information was leaked to The Times in early 2021. This timing raised eyebrows because it happened just days before Meghan and Harry’s highly anticipated interview with Oprah Winfrey. The leak painted Meghan as a difficult and cruel boss, reinforcing a growing media narrative that she was impossible to work with and making palace staff and other royals cry. Meghan’s team quickly denied the claims, arguing they were part of a coordinated effort to damage her reputation ahead of the interview.
Furthermore, for years, the British press widely reported that Meghan had made Kate cry before her wedding, a claim first spread by royal reporter Camilla Tominey, a vocal critic of Meghan Markle. However, Meghan debunked this during her Oprah interview in March 2021, revealing that the reverse had happened—Kate had made her cry and later apologized with a note and flowers.
Knauf’s Career Move and Royal Recognition Raise Questions
Knauf continued working for the royal household and later became CEO of Prince William and Kate’s charity, the Royal Foundation. In May 2021, he announced his resignation and officially stepped down in January 2022. His departure raised questions, especially after he helped The Mail on Sunday defend itself in Meghan’s privacy lawsuit.
Meghan successfully sued the tabloid in October 2019 for publishing a private letter she wrote to her father without permission. Despite once working for her, Knauf provided evidence that supported the newspaper’s case. The UK High Court ruled in Meghan’s favor in 2021, and an appeal upheld the decision in December of that year.
In 2023, Prince William honored Knauf, fueling speculation that the palace had backed his actions against Meghan. Instead of distancing themselves, the royal family embraced him, reinforcing the idea that his efforts to undermine Meghan were encouraged.
The Palace Investigation and Lack of Evidence
Buckingham Palace addressed the bullying allegations against Meghan Markle by launching an internal investigation. They hired an external law firm to review the claims, giving the impression of a serious inquiry. However, the allegations dated back to 2018, yet the palace only initiated the investigation in 2021—after Meghan and Harry publicly accused the royal family of mistreatment in their Oprah interview.
Embed from Getty ImagesOn June 19, 2022, Buckingham Palace announced that it would not release the findings of its investigation into bullying allegations against Meghan Markle. The palace’s secrecy fueled speculation that the investigation was never about finding the truth but about controlling the narrative after the Oprah interview. By keeping Meghan’s name in the headlines, they ensured she remained a negative distraction just as they quietly released the Sovereign Grant report.
The Palace Kept Meghan in the Headlines While Hiding Its Own Problems
The Sovereign Grant for 2021-2022 remained at £86.3 million, but royal spending surged by 17% to £102.4 million. The monarchy increased its spending even though Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals in 2020 and no longer received funding hence no scapegoats. The largest jump came from the Buckingham Palace Reservicing Programme, where spending rose by 41% to £54.6 million. Instead of addressing concerns about taxpayer money, the media ensured that Meghan’s name stayed in the headlines, diverting attention from royal family’s financial dealings.
For weeks, nearly every major story in the British press focused on Meghan and the bullying allegations. Meanwhile, the Sovereign Grant report received minimal media coverage. By withholding the bullying investigation findings, the palace allowed speculation to continue unchecked. This ensured that Meghan remained the subject of scrutiny, while the monarchy’s own problems—whether financial excess or failed public relations—faded quietly into the background.
The Media’s Role in the Smear Campaign
The British press relentlessly pushed the bullying allegations against Meghan Markle, ensuring they resurfaced whenever she gained positive attention. Each time she prepared to launch a project, the same unverified claims dominated headlines, keeping her under constant attack.
Now, in March 2025, history repeats itself. As Meghan prepares to release her Netflix show Meghan, With Love, Jason Knauf has returned to the spotlight, once again pushing the bullying claims from 2018. Headlines scream, “Meghan Markle Bullying Allegations Resurface,” and “Jason Knauf Stands by His Claims.” Despite the noise, no new evidence has emerged—just the same recycled accusations.
The timing is deliberate. As Meghan moves forward, the press drags her name back into controversy. They create a distraction, ensuring negativity surrounds her biggest moments. If anyone is guilty of bullying, it is those who refuse to let her go, weaponizing the media to keep her under attack.
The Hypocrisy of the Royal Family
Race shaped Meghan Markle’s experience in the royal family. As the first Black biracial woman to marry into the monarchy, she disrupted long-standing traditions simply by being there. When she spoke about racism within the institution, critics dismissed her, but history proves she was not the first to raise concerns. King Charles once told a British journalist of South Asian heritage that she “didn’t look like she was from Manchester.” He and Camilla were also caught laughing during an Indigenous performance in Canada, reinforcing doubts about their attitudes toward race.
Further incidents strengthened this perception. King Charles’s former valet, Michael Fawcett, faced allegations of racial abuse. In 2001, Elizabeth Burgess, who worked at Charles’s Highgrove estate for a decade, broke down in tears as she recalled Fawcett calling her a “fucking nigger typist.” In 2022, a royal family staff member resigned after making racist comments. Prince William and Kate’s 2022 Caribbean tour only added to the scrutiny. They were met with protests, and images of them shaking hands with children behind a fence became a stark symbol of the monarchy’s colonial legacy.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Royal Family’s Distraction Tactics and Their Troubled Record on Race
Rather than confronting its deep-rooted issues with race, the royal family kept the focus on Meghan Markle. By amplifying the bullying allegations, they diverted attention from their history of exclusion and outdated traditions. Instead of acknowledging institutional failings, they turned Meghan into the scapegoat, ensuring that conversations about racism within the monarchy never gained traction.
For centuries, the institution has operated on the premise of royal supremacy, claiming the right to rule based on bloodline. So is it surprising that behind palace walls, systemic racial exclusion was the norm? Buckingham Palace actively banned ethnic minorities from office roles until at least the late 1960s, a policy the palace only admitted to in recent years. Even today, representation within the royal household remains low. In 2021, Buckingham Palace revealed that just 8.5% of its staff were from ethnic minority backgrounds.
By 2024, Prince William and Princess Kate announced they had met their diversity targets, with 14% of their 66 employees—roughly nine people—being from ethnic minority backgrounds. This was framed as progress, yet in a modern institution that represents a diverse Commonwealth, these numbers remain strikingly low.
Despite these facts, the media never revisits the monarchy’s racial controversies when the royal family launches a charity, promotes a project, or raises funds. Why is it that their past actions are erased whenever they need good press, but Meghan remains a constant target?
Related | Valentine Low Tries to Reheat Debunked Bullying Claims Against Meghan Sussex
The Palace’s Strategy to Protect Itself
The royal family’s handling of Meghan Markle’s bullying allegations reveals a pattern of distraction and deflection. Instead of addressing its own internal issues—whether financial excess, racial controversies, or public relations disasters—the palace ensured that Meghan remained the focus of media scrutiny. They let damaging narratives about her linger while keeping key findings and reports hidden from the public.
Jason Knauf played a central role in this effort, filing a complaint in 2018, leaking its existence in 2021, and resurfacing the claims in 2025, just as Meghan prepared to launch her latest project. His career move to Prince William’s foundation and the subsequent honor he received reinforced suspicions that the palace not only tolerated but encouraged efforts to undermine Meghan.
The British press amplified these efforts, using unverified bullying claims to overshadow and damage Meghan’s reputation while downplaying serious issues within the royal institution. Meanwhile, the same media rarely revisits the monarchy’s history of racial exclusion or financial mismanagement, allowing the palace to escape real accountability.
By keeping Meghan at the center of controversy, the royal family shielded itself from deeper scrutiny. But the pattern is clear—when the palace faces a crisis, Meghan’s name resurfaces in the headlines. The question remains: how long can they keep using her as a scapegoat before the public starts demanding answers about the monarchy’s own failings?
Discover more from Feminegra
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.