The article from February 2025 details a rare public interview given by Jason Knauf to 60 Minutes Australia. As former press secretary to both the Sussexes and the Waleses, Knauf was the original source of bullying allegations against Meghan Markle, claiming in an email to Prince William’s private secretary that she “bullied two PAs out of the household.”
- Divided opinions: The comments show sharply divided views on Knauf, with some praising him as someone who “stood up to bullies” while others question his motives and characterize him as opportunistic.
- Cultural differences debate: There’s an interesting discussion about whether Meghan’s management style might be perceived differently due to cultural differences between American and British workplace norms.
- Corroborating evidence: Some commenters point to Harry’s own writing acknowledging that staff were reduced to tears, though they interpret this differently – Harry blamed the “poisoned” atmosphere on William’s staff, while others see it as confirming Meghan’s behavior.
- Questions about timing and authorization: Several users speculate that Knauf’s interview must have been approved by William, with some suggesting it’s part of a “soft launch” for William’s eventual kingship.
- The forgotten email incident: Multiple commenters brought up how Meghan initially denied cooperating with the authors of “Finding Freedom” but later had to admit she had authorized Knauf to share information after he provided evidence.
- The bullying allegations may reflect a complex situation involving cultural differences, workplace dynamics, institutional issues, and competing loyalties.
- The role of race and gender likely influenced perceptions of Meghan’s management style.
- The palace appears to have structural issues with handling workplace conflicts, as noted by multiple commenters.
- Knauf’s continued professional relationship with William raises questions about complete impartiality.
- The incident occurred during a period of significant tension within the royal family.
What’s particularly telling is that while the palace commissioned a report on the bullying allegations, they chose not to release it publicly, which suggests the full story may be more complicated than what has been reported.
Here’s a deeper analysis with some counterpoints to consider:
- Timing and motivation: The timing of Knauf’s interview is noteworthy – years after the initial allegations. Some might question why he’s chosen to speak publicly now, especially while maintaining professional ties to Prince William through the Earthshot Prize. This raises questions about potential continued loyalty to one side of the royal rift.
- Careful language: The article notes Knauf “clearly chose his words carefully” and included positive comments about the Sussexes. This calculated approach suggests he may be trying to appear balanced while still maintaining his position.
- Harry’s counter-narrative: Prince Harry’s account directly contradicts Knauf’s framing. In Harry’s book, he describes a “poisoned” atmosphere where “the real villains were the people [William] imported into the office, people from government” who were “addicted” to creating conflict and “constantly setting our two groups of staff against each other.” This suggests the staffing issues may have been more complex than just Meghan’s alleged behavior.
- Evidence and transparency: While Knauf’s allegations were documented in an email, the full investigation results into these claims haven’t been made public, making it difficult to assess their validity.
- Complicated role in legal matters: The article mentions Knauf also supplied Meghan’s private communications to the Court of Appeal during her lawsuit against The Mail on Sunday. This raises questions about his professional ethics and confidentiality obligations to former employers.
- Power dynamics: The article doesn’t address the power dynamics at play – particularly how racial and cultural differences might have influenced perceptions of Meghan’s management style compared to other royals.
- The broader context: The toxic relationship between the British tabloid media and Meghan Markle created an environment where allegations against her would naturally receive more attention and credibility than similar claims against other royals.
This situation highlights the challenge of determining truth when personal and institutional loyalties, media narratives, and conflicting accounts are involved. Rather than a simple case of workplace bullying, the situation appears to reflect deeper divisions within the royal household during a period of significant transition and tension.
The Transcript:
Jason Knauf Interview with 60 Minutes Australia
On Prince William’s Preparation for Kingship
Interviewer: Taking the king is not an easy job. In the 2½ years Charles the Third has been king, he’s been impressive, especially considering that he’s been fighting cancer for much of that time. The King’s illness is a reality check, a nudge to ensure that Prince William is match-fit for a possible earlier call to the top job. So how is the 42-year-old heir? Is he really ready to rule? Imagine the pressure.
Jason Knauf: As Prince William’s press secretary for seven years, I’d say it’s… it’s never going to get easier. Forever amazing holding the position.
Interviewer: Jason is still one of William’s confidants. For the first time, he’s inviting us inside.
Jason: What I have heard from Prince William is, you’re going to do this. Every generation goes through generation with so many expectations turned to the Prince, who at 42 may face this much sooner than anyone ever expected.
Interviewer: Is it kind of always on, as you think in terms of having lessons?
Jason: I don’t think it is. I think it’s much more personal than that. The lessons, as much as they exist, don’t really look very much like what we might expect. It’s private family conversations, learning by doing. Little things like that.
Interviewer: Being heir, he’s going to lose his father for this job. It’s one of these terrible paradoxes.
On Kate’s Cancer Diagnosis
Interviewer: This job became even more daunting for the Prince around the same time he was forced to contemplate what it would be like to wear the crown without his wife by his side. Kate, of course, announcing in March that she had cancer.
Interviewer: After weeks of intense and sometimes wild speculation about Catherine’s whereabouts, she revealed even more devastating news for the future king.
Interviewer: Within a couple weeks of each other, your father and your wife… Do you remember that phone call?
Jason: It was absolutely nothing. It’s the lowest moment. The problem was all this crazy sort of conspiracy theory stuff kicked off in the background. They didn’t want to say yet she had cancer because they had told the children. They were still working through how to tell them.
Interviewer: The Princess announced she’d finished her treatment in September, allowing her husband and children to exhale.
Jason: Family stability is what’s always mattered most. They made that very clear. When we were doing things like planning out the year ahead or going forward, family time was always first. The Prince and Princess understand the difficult balance between their public duties and private life. It’s always a challenge.
On Managing Royal Privacy and Press
Interviewer: The risk to them?
Jason: You have hundreds and hundreds of journalists who talk first. When I arrived in London, they were camping outside, trying to get their spot. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, it’s a member of the royal family trying to get their lives organized with a different child.
Jason: Back in 2015, even before Princess Charlotte was born, he was given an option with the details.
Jason: Everyone, including myself, was nervous. There was another flower delivery. This piece of paper needed to get right for this press release. I’m still out there with hundreds of journalists trying to gain the details. And then I couldn’t find the piece of paper. I dropped it somewhere on the street before the announcement. But somewhere on that street the entire time was the piece of paper that said there’s been a little Princess born, what time, and how much she weighed. It was one of those things where my heart was beating until we got to the announcement and I got through it.
Interviewer: Did you find it?
Jason: No, I never found it. That doctor didn’t do anything with it. That’s all there really is about that day.
On William and Kate’s Family Privacy
Valentine Low: She’s the royal editor of The Times. She says their children were the reason they decided to move from Kensington Palace in London to their family home on the Windsor estate.
Valentine Low: They did this asking for more privacy. Here in the countryside, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children have been able to enjoy that hope to have normal family life.
Jason: It’s something that we’re desperately trying to protect. When he does become king, I don’t see a time when you don’t need to bring the family back into keeping the institution relevant. It’s kind of coming. Here are questions, but I still don’t think the institution will change.
Jason: I think the biggest thing from the team we talked about most, especially in those early years, was how he and the Princess were going to prepare their children. The media was quite difficult at times, and he knew that he was going to be raising his kids to deal with social media and mobile phones and all that stuff. So you’d see public William, but you’d also see worried mom and dad behind the scenes. But a lot less in recent years, which has been fantastic for them.
On Royal Diplomacy and Public Duties
Interviewer: The children will also have huge roles to play when it comes to putting Britain’s best foot forward on the world stage once they grow up. The King is head of state, and the royal charm offensive is something to behold. Donald Trump will be the first to meet him after his re-election.
Jason: We met him before.
Interviewer: The adorable images of two-year-old Prince George meeting the Obamas in his bathrobe in 2016 was astounding.
Jason: Before they arrived, we decided it would be nice to have this memory of him saying hello to this sitting president. There were some tense moments on that, yes, but it’s special afterward. You have to have the pitching because you’re pitching yourself while you see that. You can’t do your job right.
Jason: Afterwards, we walked out to the courtyard at Kensington Palace, and the Beast, the presidential limousine, is there. George was looking at this thing like he’d never seen anything related to it before. And that’s when he could be a little bit more like, “This is a weird job. It’s really strange.”
Interviewer: It was doubly demanding for Jason because he didn’t just work for the heir, but also the spare.
On Harry and William’s Relationship
Interviewer: Will their relationship ever be rebuilt? Do you think Harry and his brother…?
Jason: If there’s one thing the royal family values, it’s loyalty. And it was Jason’s job to harness that. As press secretary, neither of the Prince and Princess would choose that. They’re not that interested in fame, not really interested in it. And I think that makes it easier to see people doing their jobs.
Interviewer: Jason had to control their reach. They are the most popular royals. You must have done it well.
Jason: I don’t think anyone can control the image. All you can do is help people be themselves.
Interviewer: With the Prince and Princess, what did you see?
Jason: As well as being in his seventies with cancer, the King’s advisor was not just William, but also Harry. At their very first public appearance, right after Harry and Meghan’s wedding, I’d worked closely with the two of them. We had lots of great times. Working on their wedding was an amazing, magical experience. I wish them all the best with their lovely family.
On the Bullying Allegations
Interviewer: But there was a big controversy. Jason was keeping a close eye on their public image. The same year, just a few months after he joined the Sussexes’ trip to Ireland as husband and wife, the Duchess was upsetting staff.
Jason’s Email (read by interviewer): “I am very concerned that the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior.”
Interviewer: Thanks so much. Last three years, and that email was leaked to the media just days before Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview. Jason didn’t know how they could have gotten it. After just the phone call, playing falsehoods about Meghan, he suddenly found himself through the spotlight. And it only intensified when he gave evidence in the court case against a newspaper. Isn’t it perfect that he’s still choosing his words carefully?
Interviewer: You had some unwanted public attention on you.
Jason: I think it’s tough, but it’s probably quite good. Someone who has been helping other people deal with the public eye… you probably have to take your own medicine sometimes. You can’t choose just to take the fun stuff in any job. That applies to the Prince and Princess as well as everyone else working for them. So I wouldn’t change anything.
Interviewer: You wouldn’t do anything differently?
Jason: Not now. But at the end of the day, you get to do an amazing job. You’ve got to take everything that comes with it.
On Working with the Royal Family
Interviewer: He was known to be honest. Jason knows what it’s like to work closely with King Charles. He was the King’s butler at his country property, Highgrove, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth the Second.
Interviewer: What was it like?
Jason: That was amazing. I mean, the King’s private sense of humor is such that if you like some of his fondest memories of watching him and the rest of the staff tease each other often, if you were both quick and you could provide testimony in the opposite direction in this community, kind of fun. It was like that all the time. That’s why it’s so sad things have changed in this extraordinary family.
Interviewer: It’s been five years since Harry stepped down from his royal duties.
Harry (archive footage): Within the system, I felt trapped. My father and my brother, they are trapped.
On William and Harry’s Rift
Interviewer: Jason knows it’s been extremely tough on William.
Jason: We have ups and downs in family. Even when you really love someone, you can have times when you don’t want to spend that much time with them. It’s very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye. But he’s chosen to keep his thoughts on it private, and I think all of us who know him really have to respect that we should do the same. But I will say, of course, it’s been hard and sad, especially for all of us who know both of them.
Interviewer: Do you think Harry’s relationship with William will improve when William becomes king?
Jason: I can’t speculate on the future. They achieved a lot together, and none of that can ever be taken away. This may be an extraordinary family that everyone gets to talk about and write about and interview and all that sort of stuff, but at the end of the day, it’s a family.
On His Current Work with William
Interviewer: If you want one last observation, a big part of anything that could bring the brightness back, Jason believes it will be William’s Earthshot Prize. That partnership appears to be as strong as ever, still contributing nearly two years after Harry accused the palace of lying.
Jason: It was fully recognized for his worth. It was very sad. The Prince and Princess had a really nice party for me. He gave me a speech recounting mistakes I made for about 15 minutes, and he can do a good stand-up routine for sure.
Interviewer: While Jason isn’t employed by the royal family, he still works closely with William on the Earthshot Prize. It’s an annual award aimed at fixing the world’s biggest environmental problems.
Jason: William is much more than just the face of it. Every three months in the UK, we have this plastic alternative company that won the prize. They make these things for stadiums, like to replace hot dog and hamburger packaging, and he’s called all the individual countries involved in football. The stadiums in the UK have almost done replacing all the plastic containers in the UK.
Interviewer: Personally?
Jason: Yes, his charity work is his duty.
Closing Thoughts on William and Kate
Interviewer: William has praised Kate many times. As an ambassador for his charity, she’s come along, chosen, and never mentioned the future. Kate is the key to preventing William from being too intense.
Interviewer: How do you explain William’s ability to connect with people online? To understand, I wanted to say about his empathy. He really understands because he has experienced it. It doesn’t matter who an individual is. If they’ve had an experience where they’ve experienced grief or really struggled, he can connect with people. Nobody knows that so well.
Interviewer: One more question. Have you ever had a perfect conversation with Catherine?
Jason: If she didn’t like it, she wouldn’t be there.
Interviewer: Hello, thank you for watching 60 Minutes Australia. Subscribe to our channel now for brand new stories and exclusive clips every week, and don’t miss out on our extra minute segments and full episodes of 60 Minutes on 9Now.
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