‘Could follow them no longer’: Princess Kate’s deal-breaker with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle over their alleged treatment of royal staff

Royal author Russell Myers, who penned the 2026 biography William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, claimed the Princess of Wales initially believed the growing rift between Prince William and Prince Harry stemmed from years of tension tied to their different positions within the monarchy.

According to Myers, Catherine viewed the brothers’ clashes as a combination of “immaturity and stubbornness” on both sides, before tensions allegedly escalated behind the scenes.

“She (Kate) believed William and Harry’s fundamental differences as the ‘heir and the spare’ had created the inevitability of Harry wanting more from his role than being a bit-part player,” Myers said.

“At first she had thought William and Harry’s squabbles were rooted in immaturity or stubbornness, on both sides, but Harry and Meghan’s attitude towards palace staff, who she and William cared about, set the couples on an entirely different course.”

Myers claimed William and Catherine had worked hard to create a positive and supportive culture within their household, while allegations surrounding Meghan’s behaviour towards aides caused growing concern inside palace walls.

In 2021, The Times reported that the Sussexes’ former communications secretary, Jason Knauf, lodged a formal complaint in October 2018 alleging Meghan had bullied members of staff.

The complaint claimed Meghan “was able to bully two PAs [personal assistants] out of the household in the past year”.

A third staff member was also allegedly left with diminished confidence, according to the report.

Meghan strongly denied the allegations at the time, with her representatives describing the claims as part of a “calculated smear campaign”.

Buckingham Palace launched an investigation into the allegations in 2021, though the findings were never publicly released.

The issue later resurfaced in Prince Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare, in which he detailed an alleged confrontation with William over Meghan’s treatment of staff.

Harry claimed his older brother accused Meghan of being “rude” and “abrasive” during a heated discussion at Nottingham Cottage, before the exchange allegedly turned physical.

“He (William) was in full Heir mode, and couldn’t fathom why I wasn’t dutifully playing the role of the Spare,” Harry wrote.

“I was sitting on the sofa, he was standing over me. I remember saying: You need to hear me out, Willy. He wouldn’t. He simply would not listen.”

Harry continued: “He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor.”

Kensington Palace has never publicly responded to Harry’s allegations.

According to Myers, Catherine ultimately became less invested than William in trying to repair the fractured relationship with the Sussexes, who stepped down as senior working royals in 2020 before relocating to the US.

“She (Kate) had seen Harry and Meghan become ever more bitter at having to follow the rules of a hierarchical and hereditary monarchy, until they felt as if they could follow them no longer,” Myers said.

“(However,) Catherine had less interest than her husband in trying to persuade Harry to stay in his current role.”

Since leaving royal life, Harry and Meghan have settled in Montecito, California with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, four.

The Waleses and Sussexes have remained publicly estranged, with their last joint appearance taking place during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.

The funeral also marked Meghan’s last public appearance in the United Kingdom, while Harry has since returned alone on several occasions.

Harry has additionally remained embroiled in an ongoing dispute with the UK Home Office and Ravec (Royal and VIP Executive Committee) over taxpayer-funded security arrangements for his family following his departure from royal duties.

Despite Harry briefly meeting with King Charles III in London last year, reports continue to suggest William has little interest in reconciling with his younger brother.