(Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Max Mumby)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s public reputation faced another blow after The Hollywood Reporter (THR) published allegations of Meghan’s alleged “dictator-like” behavior toward staff. However, current and former employees are disputing these claims, painting a very different picture of the Duchess of Sussex.
According to an anonymous staff member who spoke to Us Weekly, Meghan is far from the demanding persona described in the THR report. The source emphasized, “Workers never see her yell, and she gives clear direction and is solution-oriented.” They also dismissed claims that Meghan bombarded employees with angry emails at 5 a.m., a rumor that has fueled her “Duchess Difficult” label.
A notable example contradicting the negative reports is Meghan’s email signature, which reportedly reads: “My working day may not be your working day. Please do not feel obliged to reply to this email outside your normal working hours.” The staff member added that this considerate gesture shows Meghan is neither demanding nor deserving of the “dictator walking in high heels” description alleged in the THR piece.
Josh Kettler, Harry’s former chief of staff, who worked briefly with the Sussexes, shared similar sentiments. Despite his short tenure, Kettler described Meghan and Harry as “dedicated and hardworking,” adding that he felt “warmly welcomed” by both the couple and their Archewell team.
Positive feedback also came from Ashley Hansen, the Sussexes’ global press secretary. She recounted how Meghan and Harry supported her during a health crisis, saying, “They forced me to take time off and rest following my serious injury. They later sent flowers, made considerate phone calls, and delivered care packages.”
Hansen revealed that Meghan personally reached out to her husband daily to ensure they were both doing well, describing this as “the kind of kindness you don’t realize you need until you experience it.” Other employees echoed these sentiments, with one describing the Archewell team as the “first company I’ve worked where I liked every person.”
Since stepping back as senior royals, Meghan and Harry have been subjected to relentless media scrutiny, particularly Meghan, who has often expressed frustration with her public image. In their ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, she tearfully described the media pressure as a “very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”
Harry, meanwhile, likened his wife’s struggles to those faced by his late mother, Princess Diana, admitting his fear of “history repeating itself.” Now raising their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in the U.S., Meghan and Harry continue to navigate life outside the royal spotlight, facing challenges with resilience and grace.
