Meghan Markle said she is not afraid of the consequences of speaking out in her and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying “a lot … has been lost already”.
A second teaser clip for the heavily anticipated chat was released in the early hours of Thursday in which Meghan said she could not be expected to stay silent if the Royal Family played a part in “perpetuating falsehoods” about the couple.
The interview with the revered television host is expected to lift the lid on Harry and Meghan’s short period as working royals together before they stepped down for a life in America.
In the 30-second clip, Winfrey asks the duchess: “How do you feel about the Palace hearing you speak your truth today?”
She replies: “I don’t know how they could expect that, after all of this time, we would still just be silent if there is an active role that The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us.”
Meghan added: “And, if that comes with risk of losing things, I mean, I … there is a lot that has been lost already.”
The clip comes after the Queen ordered an investigation into explosive claims that the Duchess of Sussex bullied her staff during her time as a working royal.
Buckingham Palace will examine allegations from former aides who accuse Meghan of “emotional cruelty and manipulation”.
The probe will revisit a complaint made about Meghan in 2018 by one of her closest advisers.
The Times has reported that Jason Knauf, the Sussexes’ then communications secretary, claimed Meghan “drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member”.
(Image: NBC)
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
“Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned.
“The royal household has had a dignity at work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.”
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In response, Meghan’s spokesman said: “The duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.
“She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good.”
With the bombshell Oprah interview due to air in the US on Sunday, with it being shown on ITV at 9pm on Monday, in the UK, senior palace sources said aides were “incandescent” after being accused of a “smear campaign” against the Duchess.
A senior palace source said: “We have not been briefing around the Oprah Winfrey programme or anything to do with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at all.
“It is totally disingenuous, frankly ludicrous and wholly untrue to suggest anyone at the Palace has been peddling disinformation and has been briefing on these matters.
“There are far, far more important things going on right now than the circus surrounding a media appearance.
“To be accused by lawyers of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is astonishing.”
(Image: NBC)
In a couple of previous teaser clips, Meghan is seen cradling her bump as she opens up about her life, with Oprah saying that no subject was “off limits”.
In one clip, Winfrey can be heard asking Meghan: “Were you silent or were you silenced?”.
Later, the US host is heard telling Meghan it appeared “almost unsurvivable, sounds like there was a breaking point.”
Prince Harry also said that he feared for Meghan if they had stayed living in the UK.
“My biggest concern was history repeating itself,” Harry said, apparently referring to his mother Princess Diana, who died at age 36 in a car crash in Paris after her divorce from Prince Charles.
He added: “I’m just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side.
“Because I can’t imagine what it must have been like for her (Diana), going through this process by herself all those years ago.
“It’s been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we had each other.”
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Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/breaking-meghan-markle-not-afraid-23604102