As the report into her alleged bullying stays secret, those who contributed to it will be left wondering why they bothered at all. Photo / Getty Images
As the report into her alleged bullying stays secret, those who contributed to it will be left wondering why they bothered at all. Photo / Getty Images
More than three years after the first complaint was filed, the Duchess of Sussex bullying row has ended just as it began: in silence.
Then, it was an email sent between two close colleagues, raising quiet concerns about the treatment of staff at Kensington Palace.
Now, it is a secret report blocked not only from the public, but even to those who took the time to contribute.
The Duchess is unscathed but unvindicated, with no further details about the alleged bullying she has vehemently denied coming to light.
The staff members said to have been treated "unacceptably" in their time working for the Sussexes will be left none the wiser about what, if anything, has changed.
The timeline begins just before rumours of difficulties at Kensington Palace began to surface.
In October 2018, Jason Knauf, at the time the press secretary to both the Cambridges and the Sussexes as they attempted to work together, finally voiced concerns about what he had seen in the household.
"I am very concerned that the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year," he wrote in an email to Simon Case, at the time the Duke of Cambridge's private secretary, and now the Cabinet Secretary.
"The treatment of X was totally unacceptable. The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y."
The Duchess of Sussex is unscathed but unvindicated, with no further details about the alleged bullying she has vehemently denied coming to light. Photo / Getty Images
The Telegraph is not naming X and Y because of the nature of the allegations and the effect it has had on them.
The note also expressed concern about the treatment of Samantha Cohen, a senior member of staff working as the Sussexes' private secretary at the time.
Critically, it added: "I questioned if the household policy on bullying and harassment applies to principals."
The email was passed to HR, but the complaint did not progress into any known action.
In the same month, it was reported that the Cambridges and Sussexes were preparing to split their households.
Months later, in early 2019, the news was confirmed, with rumours about the unhappy situation at Kensington Palace beginning to gain traction along with headlines about "Duchess Difficult".
More than two years later, as the Sussexes prepared to sit down with Oprah Winfrey to tell their truth about their time in the royal family together, details of the bullying complaint were leaked to The Times.
They were vehemently denied by the Duke and Duchess's team, who said they were the victims of a "calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation".
"We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet," their lawyers said.
"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."
Jenny Afia, the Duchess's lawyer of the Schillings law firm, later said: "What bullying actually means is improperly using power repeatedly and deliberately to hurt someone, physically or emotionally. The Duchess of Sussex absolutely denies ever doing that.
"Knowing her as I do, I can't believe she would ever do that."
Finally, the palace moved. A spokesman made a public statement saying they were "clearly very concerned" about bullying accusations.
The Cambridges and Sussexes together, before the latter stepped back from front line royal duties. Photo / Getty Images
Announcing a review, that would be funded privately – i.e. either by the Queen or Prince of Wales – he added: "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 learnt."
Only a small handful of staff was ever approached, it is understood, with others who worked there during a similar time period left wondering whether their input was wanted.
Most, if not all, are thought to have now left the household.
The Sussexes were initially thought to be uninvolved in the report, which had a close focus on how allegations could have been handled differently by the palace rather than whether bullying actually occurred.
The lawyers are said to have been in close contact with Buckingham Palace, but a spokesman did not reply to a request for comment on the matter.
At the time, the findings were intended to be published only as part of an HR section of the annual financial report, in an attempt to downplay the details and focus on "lessons learned".
'It looks like they're going to do nothing'
But as the months and years rolled on, current and former members of the household were left increasingly frustrated at the lack of action.
Said to have been disappointed it had been "buried", some felt let down by an apparent focus on managing the PR strategy over reassuring staff.
"This should have been an opportunity to do the right thing," one source said in April. "Now it looks like they're going to do nothing instead."
That fear, it emerged, has come to pass – at least as far as the public and participants are concerned.
Ending on a whimper
The big reveal from Buckingham Palace? The review has concluded, recommendations have been made, and changes to internal policies have been implemented.
Lessons have definitely been learned, by unnamed and unknown people.
Even the rival royal court in California should be left unsatisfied, with no vindication for the Duchess and no answer to the question of what really happened.
The report, which remains on file somewhere in the palace, may one day come to light at a more convenient moment, perhaps one for the historians.
Now, as that painful episode of palace life fizzles out of public consciousness with no resolution, those who contributed to the report will be left wondering, why did they bother at all?
