Meghan Markle May Have Been Warned Not To Wear These Earrings. Here's Why

Following the bombshell report on Tuesday of Meghan Markle bullying several of her royal aides (via The Times), which has led to an investigation by Buckingham Palace itself (via Associated Press), fans everywhere are shocked at the accusations. While drama continues to boil ahead of Meghan and Harry's long-anticipated tell-all interview with Oprah on March 7 at 8 P.M. EST on CBS, another report has surfaced that has left many scratching their heads — and suspicious about the timing of the stories' release as a smear campaign against the couple.

The item in question? A seemingly-innocent pair of Butani earrings gifted to Markle by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia as a wedding present. The Duchess of Sussex wore the earrings to a formal dinner in Fiji in Oct. 2018, just three weeks after journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. While the Duchess's lawyers maintain that she was unaware of the connection between the crown prince and Khashoggi murder, The Telegraph reports a much-different story. 

According to an unnamed royal source, the Duchess of Sussex wore the diamond earrings "against advice from palace aides" which paints another picture altogether. Choosing to wear them to the state dinner in Fiji, the media were simply told that the earrings were "borrowed," but the palace did not give further details on their provenance.

The Telegraph's royal source has dismissed the Sussexes' claim that Markle did not know about the connection between the earrings and the murder. In fact, they have made it clear to the newspaper that palace staff advised the Duchess not to wear the jewelry, and that "members of Royal Household staff sometimes advise people on their options, but what they choose to do with that advice is a very different matter."

As a source told The Times that the tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga was "a difficult one for staff," they also claimed that the Duchess insisted they tell the media the earrings were "borrowed from a jeweler." The Duchess's lawyers have denied the "jeweler" portion of the quote or that she misled anyone, but did admit that she may have stated they were borrowed.

Saudi Arabia admitted to Khasoggi's death on Oct. 20 just three days before the dinner, while the earrings had already been chosen as part of the Duchess's "tour wardrobe" (via The Telegraph). London aides were immediately "concerned" when they saw the Duchess's earrings in the media, alerting Kensington Palace, but did not say anything to the Susessexes "for fear for what their reaction would be."

When Markle chose to wear the earrings again to the Prince of Wales' 70th birthday one month later, an aide confronted Prince Harry, who reportedly looked "shocked" when informed. Now, as we wait for Meghan and Harry's tell-all Oprah interview, we're bracing ourselves for all kinds of more drama.