Meghan Markle Says Palace Aide Compared Her to 'Foreign Organism'

Meghan Markle said her closest palace aide once compared her to a "foreign organism" during a pep talk about how Britain would adjust to her in time.

The Duchess of Sussex said during Part II of her Netflix show that her private secretary had attempted to reassure her that people in Britain would adjust to her.

She did not say when the comment was made but it was shown during discussion of her wedding to Prince Harry, in May 2018, when the couple were at the height of their U.K. popularity.

Meghan said: "There was this moment where our private secretary, she worked for the queen for, I think, 20 years, and what she said to me was 'It's like this fish that is swimming perfectly, powerful, it's on the right current and one day this little organism comes in.

"'This foreign organism and the entire thing goes [squeal] what is that, what is it doing here, it doesn't look like us, it doesn't move like us, we don't like it, get it off of us.'

"And she just explained that, you know, that they'll soon see that it's stronger, faster, better with this organism as part of it. It will be hard at the beginning for them to adjust to this new thing but then it will be amazing.

"And I was really hopeful that that was true."

The documentary went on to describe the media turning against Meghan at a point the couple said Meghan was outshining other royal family members.

The couple referenced their October 2018 tour of Australia and the South Pacific and a visit to the Royal Albert Hall on November 10 when Meghan made the front page of The Daily Telegraph ahead of Queen Elizabeth II and other royals.

Though it is not mentioned in the documentary, that October, Kensington Palace communications secretary Jason Knauf sent an email to Prince William's private secretary accusing Meghan of bullying two PAs out of the royal household. He also expressed concern for the duchess' private secretary, Samantha Cohen.

In the message, published by U.K. newspaper The Times in March 2021, Knauf wrote: "I am very concerned that the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year.

"The treatment of X [name removed] was totally unacceptable."

He added: "The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y [name removed] and seeking to undermine her confidence.

"We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior towards Y [name removed]."

Meghan has denied the bullying allegations.

Update 12/15/22 4:55 a.m. EST: This article was updated with more context.