Meghan Markle's 'Angry' Reaction To Being Nicknamed 'Duchess Difficult' Revealed

A royal reporter has revived claims that Meghan Markle was labeled "Duchess Difficult" due to alleged bullying, revealing that the Montecito-based royal was displeased by the nickname.

Former staff allegedly remain traumatized, citing the former actress's "infinite" capacity for revenge. However, the Sussexes deny the allegations.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's spokesperson condemned the claims as false, offensive, and part of a smear campaign, asserting that Meghan remains focused on her family and work.

Meghan was reportedly upset over being labeled "Duchess Difficult," a nickname palace staff allegedly gave her due to claims of demanding behavior and early-morning emails, some sent as early as 5 a.m.

The bullying allegations were first detailed by royal reporter Valentine Low in 2021, shortly before Meghan and Prince Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

According to Low, "There had been one or two stories which suggested there were difficult relations between Meghan and her staff. We'd seen them, and the phrase 'Duchess Difficult' had been used."

"We knew Meghan was angry about those stories. We knew she challenged that narrative," the reporter added, per the Daily Mail.

Low reflected on the bullying allegations against the duchess, noting that when The Times published the story and wasn't sued, it suggested "there's probably something in it."

He further noted that earlier tabloid whispers about Meghan earning the nickname "Duchess Difficult" may actually be true.

Low further claimed that some of the staff who had previously worked with Harry and Meghan remained emotionally impacted more than two years after leaving their roles, despite the couple having relocated 5,000 miles away to California.

According to Low, former aides continued to feel anxious about potential repercussions. "They were very worried about what Meghan would do to them. They viewed her capacity for revenge as infinite," he said.

He continued: "They'd left the employ of the Royal Family, and they still were in a psychologically delicate state as a result of what happened to them at that time. If they [the Sussexes] were difficult to work for then, they're difficult to work for now."

Since relocating to the U.S. in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have seen a significant turnover in staff as 25 team members have left, with six resigning in just the past four months, including two high-level PR professionals.

In a separate interview on the YouTube show "Unfiltered," hosted by American royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, Low disclosed that the Sussexes had tried to block the publication of the bullying allegations.

"It was a very important factor, the litigious nature of Harry and Meghan," he explained. "I had sight of various bits of documentary evidence. I saw things which totally backed up the story. I had utter confidence."

Before the story went live, Low said the publication contacted the Sussexes for comment.

"We got a very, very long letter from their lawyers," he recalled, adding, "Sometime later, we got another slightly less long letter from their lawyers. It was very, very feisty, very strong, saying basically, 'watch out."

Despite the legal threats, The Times went ahead with the publication. "Then we published, and after that we didn't hear a word from them," Low noted.

Low also defended the timing of his story's publication. He explained that releasing the report just before Meghan and Harry's interview with Winfrey was a deliberate decision.

"If the story had come out after the Oprah interview, it would have just looked like sour grapes," Low said per the Daily Mail. "It'd be lost in the noise. Meghan would come across as this heroine, this person who'd been victimised."

He added, "The whole narrative would be about what she and Harry said about their experiences with that Royal family. It would just get lost, and no one would really care."

In response to the criticism, Meghan's friends defended her, explaining that her early-morning emails, often filled with emojis, were sent due to her efforts to stay in touch with her mother, Doria Ragland, who lives in California, where there's an eight-hour time difference.

Her disrupted sleep during her first pregnancy was also cited as a possible reason.

Royal biographer Omid Scobie, in "Finding Freedom," claimed the nickname was deliberately circulated by individuals within the royal household seeking to undermine Meghan.

However, The Hollywood Reporter painted a much harsher picture, alleging that Meghan had a habit of belittling staff and acted like a "dictator in high heels, fuming and barking orders."

In response to the renewed media coverage, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued a strong rebuttal, accusing Low of "recycling false, offensive, and long-discredited allegations" and promoting "harmful gossip."

"These claims—rooted in anonymous, unverifiable sources—form part of a broader and deeply troubling agenda that seeks to dehumanise a woman who has consistently stood up for fairness, dignity, and truth," the spokesperson stated.

They emphasized that Meghan has endured "years of unfounded attacks," and remains the target of a "never-ending smear campaign."

Despite the criticism, the spokesperson insisted Meghan remains focused on what truly matters: "Meghan remains undeterred by the noise and firmly focused on her family and work."