Prince Harry andMeghan Markle 's royal biographers accuse the palace of having double standards.- The palace launched an investigation after a report in The Times accused Markle of bullying.
- The palace has protected
Prince Andrew throughout criticism of his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
While the palace recently said it would launch an investigation into allegations that Meghan Markle bullied royal staff, no such investigations were publicly made by the palace when Prince Andrew faced scrunity over his involvement with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
A woman named Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was a victim in a sex-trafficking ring organized by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, alleged that she was forced to have sexual relations with the Duke of York when she was 17 on three occasions in 2001 and 2002. Andrew has denied these claims and a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace "emphatically denied" the allegations in an August 2019 statement provided to Insider.
In the same month, a palace spokesperson denied allegations from another woman, Johanna Sjoberg, who claimed that Andrew made sexual advances on women recruited by Maxwell. A representative for Buckingham Palace told NBC News at the time that "any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue."
Representatives for Buckingham Palace and the Duke of York did not respond to Insider's request for comment.
The palace hasn't publicly looked into the allegations against Prince Andrew, but it's taking swift action to investigate the Sussexes
The palace's announcement that it would be investigating the allegations against Markle came shortly after a Times of London report published Tuesday cited two senior palace staff members and a former palace employee who claim the duchess bullied and humiliated them.
"We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex," a spokesperson for the palace said in a statement obtained by Insider on Wednesday.
The statement went on to say that its HR team "will look into the circumstances outlined in the article."
"The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace," the same statement read.
A spokesperson for Markle has denied the claims, telling The Times the allegations were part of "a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation."
"It's no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining The Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and The Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years," the spokesperson added, referencing Harry and Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey, which airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
While the palace quickly announced it would look into these claims, Carolyn Durand, co-author of royal biography "Finding Freedom," told Sky News on Friday that the same could not be said following the allegations against Andrew.
"Why is there an investigation into this bullying but there's not been an investigation into Prince Andrew and the allegations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and the women who have made allegations?" Durand told Sky News.
"Why hasn't he been urged to cooperate with US authorities? Why were Prince Harry's military honors stripped, but Prince Andrew's haven't been?" she said.
Durand added that such double standards are something Markle herself has "really struggled with" and that "her friends were concerned about her."
Durand's co-author Omid Scobie made similar comments during an appearance on "Good Morning Britain" on Friday, saying the institution "remained silent" about the allegations surrounding Andrew.
"It does feel we have a slightly uneven playing field here," he said.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have given up more than Andrew since stepping back from royal life
Andrew announced his step back from royal duties in November 2019 due to the backlash he faced over his BBC interview where he denied the allegations made against him and expressed remorse about his friendship with Epstein.
Meanwhile, Harry and Markle's step back was due to their desire to become financially independent from the
The palace released few statements in relation to Andrew's step back, except to deny reports that the duke had been forced to quit by the Queen, with a palace spokesperson telling Insider in November 2019 that "it was a personal decision."
The Sussexes have been required to give up more than Andrew did upon their exit, including their HRH titles and Harry's military associations. Meanwhile, the Duke of York "deferred" a military promotion in February last year, "until such time that His Royal Highness returns to public duty." This was thought to be a hint that he may one day return to his royal role, as his original statement noted he would be stepping back "for the foreseeable future."
The palace has appeared to publicly shun the Sussexes. Royal courtiers denied Harry's request to be represented at the royal family's Remembrance service in November 2020, The Telegraph and The Sunday Times reported at the time.
The duke reportedly asked that a wreath be laid on his behalf at the Cenotaph, where the Queen and members of the royal family led tributes to those who died in the two world wars and other conflicts. He was denied on the grounds that "he is no longer representing the monarchy," according to The Times.
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to comment when contacted by Insider.