Prince Harry Claims Meghan Markle Is Victim Of Firm, Media's Coordinated Smear Campaign

KEY POINTS

Prince Harry claimed the firm and U.K. media launched a smear campaign against Meghan Markle before their Oprah Winfrey interview
He said he found his wife crying one night before the interview aired over the negative headlines about her
Prince Harry described it as "heartbreaking" and said he "held" and comforted his wife

Prince Harry has made a shocking claim in his new docuseries, alleging that the royal family and the British media launched a smear campaign against his wife Meghan Markle right before their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey aired in March.

In the final episode of Apple TV+'s "The Me You Can't See" which he co-produced with Oprah Winfrey, the Duke of Sussex said that he woke up to his wife sobbing over negative headlines about her prior to the airing of their CBS interview, in which they had made several allegations against the royal family.

"Because of the headlines and that combined effort of the firm and the media to smear her, I was woken in the middle of the night to [Meghan] crying in her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up — because I'm already carrying too much," Prince Harry said in the docuseries.

"That's heartbreaking. I held her. We talked. She cried, and she cried, and she cried," he shared.

This breaks my heart.But what stands out to me is he says the FIRM& the media were smearing Meghan. We have said the FIRM were involved in attacking her all along.Thank goodness she has a strong man like Harry who loves&protects her. They are a team. Praying for strength for them
— kimberley runge 🛡🌪 (@KimberleyRunge) May 22, 2021

Prince Harry was referencing stories published in the U.K.'s The Times in the days leading up to the March 7 airing of their interview with Winfrey, BuzzFeed News reported.

One report published by the Times on March 2 alleged that the Duchess of Sussex bullied her staff. It allegedly came to a point where the couple's communications secretary made a formal complaint to the royal household's human resources department.

Another published on March 3 claimed Markle wore earrings gifted to the royal family in honor of her and Harry's wedding by Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Following the bullying story, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying it was "very concerned about allegations." The palace also announced that it will launch an investigation into "the circumstances outlined in the article." The investigation is still ongoing.

Peers and fans of Markle rushed to the duchess' defense following the bullying allegations, including ex-boyfriend Joshua Silverstein, "Suits" co-star Patrick J. Adams and other celebrity pals.

"It’s OBSCENE that the Royal Family, who’s newest member is currently GROWING INSIDE OF HER, is promoting and amplifying accusations of 'bullying' against a woman who herself was basically forced to flea the UK in order protect her family and her own mental health," Adams wrote on Twitter in March.

"I have known Meghan for 17 years. Here’s what she is: kind, strong, open. Here’s what she’s not: 'a bully,'" pal Janina Gavankar wrote on Twitter. "ANY of us who know her, feel the same thing from her broken silence: Relief. The truth shall set you free."