Meghan Markle was given a less-than-flattering nickname by palace staff regarding her behavior toward the people around her.
British journalist Tom Quinn wrote in The London Times on Thursday that the Duchess of Sussex was allegedly called the “Duchess of Difficult” for a period of time.
“She could be difficult because she was finding life difficult — trying to feel her way and work out the intricacies of a positively medieval, labyrinthine system,” an anonymous staff member reportedly told him.
Highlights
- Meghan Markle was nicknamed the 'Duchess of Difficult' by palace staff.
- Markle's behavior was often varies — sometimes friendly, other times demanding.
- She found the royal lifestyle complex and struggled with royal protocols.
- Despite the criticism, some staff described her as straightforward and matter-of-fact.
One instance that came to mind was the 43-year-old’s confusion surrounding King Charles III and his formality around his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Meghan Markle was allegedly referred to as the "Duchess of Difficult" "for a while"
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The insider allegedly stated, “She once said, ‘But they’re mother and son — why are they so completely stiff with each other?’”
Between the years of 2018 to 2020, she faced a couple of issues with “the servants” and was never quite consistent with them, while adjusting to living with the royal family.
“Through absolutely no fault of her own, Meghan wasn’t always great or with her staff — she just wasn’t used to it as Harry was,” said a source.
“One minute she would be really friendly, perhaps overfriendly, hugging staff and trying to make friends with them, and the next she would be irritated by the fact they wouldn’t respond instantly at all times of the day and night.”
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Another nickname floating around the former actress’s head was “Mystic Meg” because people viewed her as “so new agey, so woke, about so many things,” especially with the way she wanted to “get things done and change the status quo,” according to Quinn.
As reported by Page Six, the author’s book, Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, dove deeper into an “awkward” interaction with the Duchess, as detailed by a staff member.
“It was extraordinary because she was so confident that you could see she wanted to run the meeting rather than learn about the royal family through the meeting,” they recalled.
“I think this was typical of what happened throughout her time at Kensington Palace and then Windsor. She was a great believer in grabbing the bull by the horns — except the royal family is not really a bull.”
Her behavior around staff members frequently varied
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But despite the negative narrative around Markle, some staff still had good things to say about their interactions with her, describing her as someone “very straightforward and matter-of-fact.”
The Duchess of Sussex first met Prince Harry back in July 2016, according to Business Insider, during a blind date a mutual friend set them up with.
Four months later, Kensington Palace released a statement confirming their relationship while simultaneously addressing the “wave of abuse and harassment” that was being directed toward her.
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“Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her,” read part of the message. “It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm.
“He knows commentators will say this is ‘the price she has to pay’ and that ‘this is all part of the game.’ He strongly disagrees. This is not a game — it is her life and his.”
About a year later, the two were engaged and announced their exciting news to the public on November 27, 2017, officially tying the knot in May of the following year.
Meghan Markle isn't very popular among British and American public members either
