Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Picture: Frank Augstein/AP
By Michael Holden
Buckingham Palace says lessons have been learnt following a review into bullying allegations made by royal staff against Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, although it declined to give details about the report's conclusions.
The HR review was announced by the palace last March, after The Times newspaper reported allegations had been made against Meghan, including that she had reduced some of her assistants to tears and treated others so badly that they had quit.
Prince Harry and Meghan issued a statement in response, denying she had bullied anyone. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey shortly afterwards, she accused the palace of "perpetuating falsehoods".
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Michael Stevens, the queen's treasurer who is known as Keeper of the Privy Purse, said the privately-funded review, which was carried out by an independent law firm, had been set up to examine the handling of the allegations and to improve practices across all the royal households.
"The review has been completed and recommendations on our policies and procedures have been taken forward," Stevens told reporters. "But we will not be commenting further."
The Times report said a senior aide to Harry and Meghan had raised a complaint in October 2018, alleging that the duchess had bullied some of her assistants, and that the prince had urged the aide to drop the issue which then never progressed.
The palace ordered a review, saying it was "very concerned", and all those who participated, including current and former staff members, have been informed of its outcome. Royal sources declined to say whether the duchess had been involved.
"I think the objectives have been satisfied because lessons have been learnt," a senior royal source said.