Credits: Genevieve (Flickr user, ID 87671668@N00); retouched on Commons by user Firebrace / Wikimedia Commons — CC-BY-2.0 (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic).
Amazing Meghan Markle! Behind the glare of the spotlights and her glamorous poses, there is, according to some, a very different version of the Duchess of Sussex playing out behind the scenes. Far from the charming smiles and talks about kindness, a series of testimonies depicts Meghan as a modern-day "Devil in Prada." A recent Hollywood Reporter piece paints a damning picture. It mentions dizzying turnover in the royal couple’s staff. Brace yourself: up to twenty employees are said to have fled the duchess. You could almost turn it into a game show: “Who Will Survive Meghan?”
The duchess, apparently, has nothing to envy from Hollywood tyrants. Several sources claim she excels at making grown adults break down in tears. Yes, you read that right. A former employee even says: “She walks like a dictator in high heels, raging and barking orders.” If you’ve always wanted to see a man burst into tears in front of a duchess, Meghan seems to be the show.
This isn’t the first time Meghan’s name has been linked to bullying accusations. Back in 2018, when she was still living in the United Kingdom, several staff at Kensington Palace bolted, citing "emotional cruelty" and intimidation by the former actress. Buckingham Palace, unsurprisingly, launched an internal inquiry, the results of which mysteriously vanished into the London fog. Convenient, isn’t it?
Recent accounts describe a Meghan prone to soap-opera-worthy rages, where emails sent at five in the morning lash out at terrified employees. And Harry, in all this? Ah, he’s portrayed as much more charming, almost the resident angel. But, well, it’s understandable he often stays in the background when his other half bares her claws.
The recent departure of Josh Kettler, former chief of staff, added another brick to this already shaky edifice. Hired to manage the launch of a chic California project (yes, of course), he ultimately took off after just three months, leaving behind a Meghan apparently too hard to please. And he’s not the only one: high-profile exits, like that of Christine Weir Schirmer, communications adviser, keep piling up.
The Hollywood Reporter highlights this amusing dichotomy: Meghan, so quick to preach kindness and mental health in public, would privately be an emotional tornado. Some even go so far as to call her a "narcissistic sociopath," according to the book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low. Charming.
And Harry in all this? The poor duke seems increasingly isolated in his California castle. Though attached to his new life under the California sun, some sources suggest he’s starting to regret being distanced from his family. He is reportedly tempted to reconnect with old friends and rejoin the fold. But with Meghan by his side, such a comeback seems about as realistic as a unicorn in his backyard.
Thus, the Sussexes find themselves caught in a storm of criticism and scandal. With a yawning gap between their carefully polished image and backstage reality. Will Meghan ever regain control of the narrative? Or will this "Devil in Prada" continue to scare anyone who dares cross the threshold of her California home? Only time will tell, but one thing’s certain: it makes for excellent soap opera!