Meghan Markle calls royal family ‘The Firm’ and accuses them of ‘perpetuating falsehoods’
The Firm #TheFirm
The Duchess of Sussex has accused the royal family of “perpetuating falsehoods” about her and Prince Harry, according to a second teaser trailer from their much-awaited interview with Oprah Winfrey, while referring to her in-laws as “The Firm”.
The clip from their scheduled tell-all interview was released in the early hours of Thursday, and the full conversation has been billed as an unprecedented insight into the couple’s brief experience as working royals and the decisions behind their move to America.
The Duchess of Sussex was asked how she felt Buckingham Palace would respond to hearing her “speak her truth today”.
“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 said.
“And, if that comes with risk of losing things, I mean, I … there is a lot that has been lost already.”
The 30-second teaser was released after Buckingham Palace announced on Wednesday that it will launch an investigation into allegations of bullying made against Meghan by former members of staff.
A report in The Times claimed that the Duchess had driven out two personal assistants, including one member who was “destroyed” and another who broke down in tears before she departed. It claimed Kensington Palace staff had been “humiliated” a number of times.
Meghan’s spokesperson responded to the report by calling it a “smear campaign” that has upset the Duchess in particular because she has been “the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.”
Before the palace made the announcement of investigations, Meghan had suggested that the allegations against her were timed to undermine the Oprah interview, The Guardian quoted sources as saying.
The spokesperson for the couple also said that it is “no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the duchess” are being told to the British media shortly before the interview where they would “speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years”.
The Oprah interview will be the first time Meghan and Harry participate in such a high-profile televised interview since their departure to the US in March 20202. The segment will be aired by CBS on Sunday 7 March.