Journalist and Royal author Valentine Low sat down with Suzanna Reid and Ed Balls on Wednesday morning's Good Morning Britain to discuss his new book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown. In the book, Low delves into the life of royal courtiers - the trusted advisers in the King or Queen’s inner circle. One topic that is at the forefront of discussion in the book is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and particularly, their decision to stand down from royal duties.
During the interview, on October 5, Suzanna asked the author: “Is it true that a number of the courtiers who worked with her, called themselves the ‘Sussex Survivors Club’?” and he replied: “Absolutely.” Valentine then described how he thought that it was “a very difficult experience for some of [the courtiers]” and proceeded to discuss allegations against the Duchess of Sussex.
“There were allegations that Megan bullied staff,” Valentine said, “People talked to me of people being completely destroyed. I’ve heard people at the time, when faced with a possible encounter with Meghan, saying ‘I feel sick’ or ‘I’m shaking’.” He called the allegations “extraordinary” to hear.
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“There was an enquiry wasn’t there but it didn’t come to anything?” Suzanna asked, referring to a bullying inquiry that came to light in June against Meghan. The results of that inquiry have not been made public, as Valentine goes on to explain.
Valentine said: “Buckingham Palace called it a review of their working practices and they shot themselves in the foot. When the allegations came out in The Times, they said ‘we’re going to look into this’ and as soon as they said that in public, everyone said that they couldn’t wait to see the results of that."
He continued: “They created a trap to themselves because they were never going to give the results of that review,” he concluded before Suzanna referred to how the Sussexes said they were victims of a “calculated smear campaign.” In recent weeks, Prince Harry and Meghan have once again been in the spotlight following the death of Queen Elizabeth II and subsequent succession of King Charles III. Valentine’s book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, releases later this week.
Good Morning Britain continues on weekdays on ITV.
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