Meghan Markle was reportedly furious about being branded “Duchess Difficult” by Palace staff, according to veteran royal correspondent Valentine Low, who first broke the bullying allegations in 2021. The unflattering nickname, allegedly coined by aides, followed claims that the Duchess sent angry, demanding emails, some as early as 5 am, and created a toxic work environment for members of her staff.
Low, speaking recently to royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, said that Meghan “challenged the narrative” behind the nickname and was deeply upset by stories suggesting she was hard to work with. “We knew Meghan was angry about those stories,” Low said. “We knew she challenged that narrative.”
According to The Daily Mail, the nickname reportedly gained traction behind palace walls after several staffers either quit or were reassigned, with allegations that some aides were left in tears following encounters with Meghan. The Duchess has denied all bullying claims, calling them part of an orchestrated smear campaign just ahead of her and Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Meghan’s supporters at the time described her as energetic, hands-on, and well-liked by many who worked with her. Some defended her early morning emails, saying they were a result of her time zone adjustment while staying in touch with her mother, Doria, in California. Others pointed to her pregnancy at the time, claiming disturbed sleep patterns were a factor. Regardless, royalist remain split on the issue.
Still, the allegations continued to swirl. In Finding Freedom, royal author Omid Scobie claimed that the nickname was pushed by insiders who “wanted to hurt her.” However, The Hollywood Reporter painted a different picture last year, describing Meghan as someone who “belittles” colleagues and “marches around like a dictator in high heels, fuming and barking orders.”
Since the couple’s 2020 move to the U.S., the Sussexes have seen a steady turnover in staff, with 25 employees reportedly departing since 2017—six of them in the last four months alone. Among them were two senior PR executives.
Happy Birthday to the Duchess of Sussex: 10 moments that made Meghanhttps://t.co/4EZDwkBjsk pic.twitter.com/xtrY3YGbHW
— Tatler (@Tatlermagazine) August 4, 2025
Valentine Low pointed to that high turnover as proof that issues may still linger. “If they were difficult to work for then, they’re difficult to work for now,” he said, noting that some of the former staffers are still emotionally affected by their experience working with the Sussexes. “They viewed her capacity for revenge as infinite,” he added.
Low also revealed that Meghan and Harry’s legal team attempted to prevent the bullying story from being published. “Before publication, we put the allegations to Harry and Meghan, and we got a very long letter from their lawyers,” he said. “Sometime later, we got another, slightly shorter letter. It was very strong, very feisty—basically saying ‘watch out.’”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoyed some family time with their son this week. #DailyExpress https://t.co/v2vockvLZc pic.twitter.com/SE4NCGMAs8
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) August 3, 2025
Despite the warnings, The Times ran the story. Low noted that after publication, there was silence from the Sussexes’ side. “We didn’t hear a word from them.”
He said the timing of the story’s release was intentional, designed to land before the controversial Oprah interview. “If the story had come out after the Oprah interview, it would’ve just looked like sour grapes,” Low explained. “It’d be lost in the noise. Meghan would come across as this heroine, this person who’d been victimised.”
As the Duchess continues to reshape her public image from California, the shadow of “Duchess Difficult” still lingers, and so does the debate over whether the nickname was ever deserved.
