It’s no secret that there’s no love lost between Prince William and both Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Now, royal experts are saying that William has sent an undeniable message to his younger brother and sister-in-law with his latest move.
William’s Apparent Message To Meghan And Harry
It was recently announced that Jason Knauf, the former royal aide who accused Meghan of bullying palace staffers during her time as a working royal, will be the new CEO of The Earthshot Prize. Indeed, this is William’s key environmental organization. Many feel that William choosing Knauf for this crucial role is a clear dig at Meghan and Harry.
“Prince William’s decision to make Jason Knauf, the former private secretary of the Sussexes, the CEO of his most prestigious project will infuriate Harry and Meghan,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News. “It is impossible to avoid feeling that this is precisely what William intended.”
“As far as the Sussexes are concerned, [Knauf] undoubtedly has pariah status,” Fitzwilliams continued. “[But] William is clearly showing he doesn’t care about what his brother thinks, much less Meghan. The royal rift seems permanent.”
In announcing Knauff as the new CEO of The Earthshot Prize, William issued a statement gushing over him.
“As we look ahead to the future of The Prize and the urgent work needed to scale more inspiring solutions to the world’s greatest challenges, I look forward to working with Jason to chart the course for the next five years of the Earthshot Prize and beyond,” William said.
Needless to say, that statement won’t sit well with Meghan and Harry!
What This Move Represents
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich believes that there’s quite a bit of meaning behind William giving this role to Knauff.
“It [represents] Jason’s stalwart support of the family during the bullying scandal,” Fordwich explained. “This is a clear signal as to the legitimacy of all the bullying reports, damning to Meghan Markle.”
“While every royal has had issues regarding those they can trust, Prince William, having been betrayed by his brother, is wary and has deeper trust issues,” she added. “Jason remains one of his closest confidantes, a trusted advisor and a member of his inner circle due to his discretion during difficult times.”
Related: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry May Be Stripped Of Royal Titles When William Becomes King, Insiders Warn
Knauff’s History With Meghan And Harry
Knauff, who is an American, worked at “the highest levels of the royal family” for seven years. During that time, he was in charge of communications not only for Meghan and Prince Harry, but also for William and his wife Kate Middleton.
After Meghan and Harry married in 2018, Knauff described their wedding as being an “amazing, magical experience.” Five months later, however, he penned a scathing email accusing Meghan of bullying palace staffers. Knauff sent this email to Simon Case, his boss and William’s private secretary. In it, he wrote that there were “some very serious problems” with Meghan’s behavior.
Knauff alleged that Meghan bullied two palace aides out of the household “in the past year.” He added that she allegedly “undermined the confidence” of a third staffer.
“The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights,” Knauff claimed. “She is bullying X and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior.”
Knauff concluded by saying that “it seemed possible” that he would be Meghan’s next target. He resigned from his position with the royal family one month later. However, William and Kate immediately rehired him as a special adviser and chief executive of their Royal Foundation.
Related: ‘Buried’: Queen Will Not Release Report On Meghan Markle Bullying Staff
Meghan Responds
Meghan denied Knauff’s bullying accusations against her as soon as they came to light.
“The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma,” Meghan’s spokesperson said at the time.
In the years since then, however, the bullying claims against Meghan have continued to stack up. The fact that Knauff was seemingly the first person to publicly accuse Meghan of being a bully undoubtedly makes him one of Meghan and Harry’s least favorite people. That’s why William likely was indeed trying to send a message to them both by appointing Knauff to this major new role.
In the end, it doesn’t seem like these royals will be reconciling with one another anytime soon.
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