Meghan Markle Staffers Double Down On 'Bully' Accusations With Brutal Behind-The-Scenes Nickname

During her time as a member of the British royal family, Meghan Markle faced scandalous accusations of mistreating staffers at Kensington Palace. However, long after her exit from the royal family, the bullying accusations have resurfaced and continue to haunt the Duchess of Sussex.

On January 17, 2025, Vanity Fair published a revealing cover story about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, detailing their post-royal life in the United States. A key focus of the piece revolved around Markle's Spotify podcast, "Archetypes." A source involved in the production described the experience as "really, really, really awful. Very painful. Because she's constantly playing checkers [...] she's just very aware of where everybody is on her board. And when you are not in, you are to be thrown to the wolves at any given moment."

Markle's time at Spotify, which ended after just one season, reportedly left staff feeling upset, so much so that they gave her a scathing nickname. Speaking with Fox News, royal correspondent Neil Sean revealed that ex-staff members "decided to christen her 'Eva' and this was used as a warning signal to let people know that she was either arriving or on the warpath." He notes that this is a reference to Joan Crawford's character, Eva, in the 1955 film "Queen Bee," where she plays a manipulative socialite diva. Sean explains that "like the Joan character, [Markle] stung her victims to pieces," highlighting the tense environment behind the scenes.

While Neil Sean shared harsh accounts of Meghan Markle's behavior during the production of "Archetypes," others have painted a much more positive picture. Jane Marie, one of the podcast's producers, told Vanity Fair, "She's just a lovely, genuine person," offering a stark contrast to claims of a toxic work environment.

Insiders who have worked closely with the couple shared similar sentiments in a September 2024 Us Weekly article. Ashley Henson, the couple's global press secretary, spoke about Markle's compassion when she had to take time off work for surgery. "I was met with the kind of concern and care a parent would express if it were their own child," Henson recalled, adding, "Meghan would personally reach out to my husband daily to make sure that we both were OK and had support." Ben Browning, who worked closely with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as the former head of content at Archewell, also dismissed the negative narratives about Markle. He mentions that his time with the couple "was positive and supportive" and emphasizes how "The narratives we've seen suggesting the contrary are untrue."

These accounts reveal a more compassionate and thoughtful side of Markle, offering a counterbalance to her reputation as a workplace bully. With the release of her unscripted Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan," on March 4, 2025, audiences might gain further insight into what Markle is truly like behind the scenes.