Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · August 2, 2025 · Entertainment

Inside Meghan Markle's Royal Struggles: From Kensington Palace to 'Megxit'

Meghan Markle gardening in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace. A royal insider claimed that the first sign that all was not well with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex became apparent while they were living at Nottingham Cottage

The Royal Drama Unfolds: Meghan's Palace Probs and "Megxit" Mayhem

As Meghan Markle celebrates her 44th birthday on Monday, it seems like a new era of peace may be on the horizon for the Sussexes. But, darling readers, we're here to spill the tea about the Duchess of Sussex's tumultuous time as a working royal.

The Palace Problems Begin

Nottingham Cottage (pictured) which Meghan reportedly not only believed was too small for her larger standards but she was 'compounded by a vague feeling that the Kensington Palace staff tended to treat Harry as less important than his brother'

According to Tom Quinn's juicy tome, "Yes Ma'am," Meghan's issues with her living arrangements at Kensington Palace were the starting point of her royal woes. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex resided in Nottingham Cottage within the palace grounds, which, allegedly, was too small for Meghan's taste. She reportedly felt belittled by the royal family, thinking that the modest home reflected poorly on her husband Harry.

But, as Quinn claims, Meghan didn't just complain about the digs; she also had a bee in her bonnet about the treatment of staff at Kensington Palace. Specifically, she believed that the palace employees favored Prince William and Kate Middleton over Harry and herself.

Quinn writes: "Meghan spotted immediately that Harry wasn’t quite as central to things as his brother William... This was the start of the whole grievance thing about being the spare."

Meghan with Prince Harry outside Kensington Palace after they announced their engagement . One member of staff said Harry's 'grievances' about being the spare started when the couple moved into Nottingham Cottage

The Drama Heats Up

As tensions rose, concerns were raised about Meghan's behavior towards staff. One member of staff confided in Quinn that Meghan could be "quite demanding" and wanted to be involved in every aspect of her royal life.

But it wasn't just Meghan; Harry was also accused of being a bit of a spare heir, only now aware of his place within the family thanks to Meghan's influence. The couple allegedly created a toxic environment at Kensington Palace, with colleagues reporting feeling anxious and intimidated by their presence.

Meghan inside Nottingham Cottage. Royal author Tom Quinn said: 'Starting life as a member of the royal family in Nottingham Cottage was the beginning of all Meghan¿s troubles'

The "Dossier of Distress"

In 2017, Jason Knauf, a royal aide, presented Prince William with a damning dossier detailing allegations of bullying against the Sussexes. According to Lacey's novel "Battle of Brothers," William was left "astonished" and "horrified" by the claims.

The alleged dossier contained disturbing accounts of Meghan's behavior towards staff, including:

Michelle and Barack Obama inside Prince William and Kate Middleton's apartment in Kensington Palace

  • Sending emails as early as 5am, leaving employees with a barrage of messages in their inboxes
  • Firing off angry messages to staff members for perceived mistakes
  • Creating a "really toxic environment" that made colleagues feel anxious and intimidated

The Fallout

When Jason Knauf presented Prince William with the dossier, he reportedly went ballistic. The two princes allegedly had a testy phone call, with Harry defending his wife against the allegations.

During Harry and Meghan's time living at Kensington Palace concerns were raised about their treatment of staff

As Lacey wrote: "The moment the Prince heard the bullying allegations he got straight on the phone to talk to Harry – and when Harry flared up in furious defense of his wife, the elder brother persisted."

Meghan's Reputation

But it's not just palace staff who have spoken out about Meghan's behavior. Former employees and sources claim that she has a reputation for being difficult to work with.

Prince William and Prince Harry together in 2017. The brothers allegedly had a testy phone call following allegations that Meghan was rude to staff at Kensington Palace

One source told The Scholarly Note: "She'd be warm and effusive towards you at first, but then turn cold and withholding when something went wrong... It's like Mean Girls – talking behind your back, undermining your confidence."

Another source revealed that Meghan would allegedly scream down the phone for half an hour at a florist who failed to mention her involvement in a bouquet on social media.

The Contrasting Views

When Jason Knauf (pictured) presented William with a 'dossier of distress' about Harry and Meghan's behaviour the prince reportedly 'went ballistic' and was left 'astonished' and 'horrified' by what he heard

But not everyone agrees with these allegations. Producer Jane Marie, who worked with Harry and Meghan on Archewell Audio projects, insists that Meghan is "just a lovely, genuine person." However, other staff members have come forward with similar accounts of Meghan's behavior.

As the drama continues to unfold, it's clear that Meghan's time as a working royal was marked by controversy and tension. Whether or not this latest development signals a new era of peace for the Sussexes remains to be seen.

Sources:

  • Tom Quinn, "Yes Ma'am"
  • Robert Lacey, "Battle of Brothers"
  • The Scholarly Note
  • Various sources within Kensington Palace and former employees of Meghan Markle