Meghan Markle on the upcoming Oprah special. Photo / Twitter
Meghan Markle on the upcoming Oprah special. Photo / Twitter
Meghan Markle finally speaks in the latest teaser clip for Monday's explosive tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
And they're fighting words.
Markle, who has been hit with historical bullying allegations from the Palace as US network CBS preps for her much-hyped Oprah interview, refers to the royal family as "the firm" in the latest clip released.
"How do you feel about the Palace hearing you speak your truth today?" Oprah asks.
"I don't know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent when there is an active role that the Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us," says Meghan.
"And if that comes with risk of losing things … there's a lot that's been lost already."
Meghan Markle finally speaks in the latest teaser for Monday's interview. Photo / Twitter
Two earlier clips released to publicise Monday's interview both showed Meghan remaining silent while Oprah and Harry spoke - this is the first glimpse of Meghan sharing her story in her own words.
An earlier clip showed Oprah asking Meghan: "Were you silent, or were you silenced?"
Another clip showed Harry appearing to take a jab at father Prince Charles and the rest of the royal family for not supporting his mother, Princess Diana.
"You know, for me, I'm just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side because I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like for her [Princess Diana] going through this process by herself all those years ago," he said. "Because it has been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we had each other."
ROYAL WAR EXPLODES
The clip drops as tensions between Harry and Meghan and the royal family exploded overnight, with both camps trading bitter public statements over allegations Meghan bullied palace aides after her marriage to Prince Harry.
The Times of London revealed the Duchess of Sussex had been the subject of an official bullying complaint in October of 2018, which accused her of mistreating her staff.
The public reveal of the claims almost two and a half years later comes days before Harry and Meghan's two-hour tell-all interview with Winfrey, which will air on 7.30pm on Monday on Ten in Australia.
Responding to The Times' story, the Sussexes' lawyers told the newspaper it was "being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative".
Meghan Markle on the upcoming Oprah special. Photo / Twitter
"Let's just call this what it is: a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation," a spokesman for the couple added in a statement.
"We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet.
"It's no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years.
"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."
In turn, Buckingham Palace has announced its HR team will investigate the allegations, which came to light as sources told The Times that Meghan had reduced staffers to tears when she lived at Kensington Palace following her May 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
"We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," the Palace said in a statement after the Times article was published.
"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."
Two senior members of palace staff were allegedly bullied into leaving their jobs, while another royal aide who had been anticipating a confrontation with Meghan allegedly told a colleague: "I can't stop shaking." A third former aide alleged they were "humiliated" by Meghan, while another described the Duchess' alleged behaviour as "more like emotional cruelty and manipulation, which I guess could also be called bullying".
