Meghan Markle 'Dictator' Claims Came From a 'Very High Up' Royal Staffer Who Works Closely With the Sussexes

Meghan Markle was accused of bullying staffers while in the U.K., and the allegations continue to follow the Duchess of Sussex.

The scandal was given new life when a source told The Hollywood Reporter Meghan was a "dictator in high heels," but friends of the couple quickly began to brand the piece as "fabricated."

Co-Editor in Chief Maer Roshan clarified that the accusation came from someone "very high up" within The Firm.

"Our reporter talked to a very high-up source who works for the couple and said: 'Everyone is terrified of Meghan,'" Roshan told an outlet. "Duchess Difficult is a nickname that has trailed Meghan Markle for quite a few years."

Roshan later pointed out that the Sussexes chose not to speak to the publication about the emerging claims.

"What is new is that this notion, since coming to America, that a lot of these rumors were manufactured by the palace — and the reporting that we did suggests that probably isn't true and there is still this undercurrent of fear," Roshan explained. "Two things can be possible at once. The couple does help a lot of people. Meghan and Harry declined to comment on our story."

"I think Meghan would have said that barking around orders is something that we expect from men — and it would never raise an eyebrow," he continued.

Despite The Hollywood Reporter's efforts to highlight the Sussex Survivors Club, former Archewell staffers rushed to defend the couple in an article published on Tuesday, September 24.

“Best bosses I have ever had,” one current team member told the outlet, adding the opportunity to work for them is “truly an honor.”

Although chief of staff Josh Kettler's exit fueled speculation about the Sussexes, the executive addressed his August departure.

Kettler shared he was “warmly welcomed” by the couple during his three months working for them. “They are dedicated and hardworking,” he noted. “It was impressive to witness.”

On the other hand, an insider claimed it was a challenge to have the Sussexes as bosses when they lived in the U.K.

“The brutal truth is Meghan and Harry are the toughest of taskmasters," a source told an outlet. “They’re incredibly difficult to work for. The numbers don’t lie. To have almost 20 staffers quitting tells its own story. It’s unprecedented, even for a startup!”

“Meghan was accused of bullying during her brief time in the palace,” a courtier explained. “She denied the allegations and called them a ‘calculated smear campaign.’ Queen Elizabeth ordered a formal investigation, but Meghan was never officially cleared, and Her Majesty decreed that the results of the probe would be kept secret.”

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When the former actress was first accused of mistreating staffers, she adamantly denied the claims, but they continue to follow her.

“Not being able to keep staffers raises a worrying question,” the courtier noted. “Are Meghan and Harry terrible at choosing employees, or is it a terrible work environment?”

“What may be most telling is the entire time I worked there, I don’t think I heard a single current or former employee say they would take the job again if given the chance," a former employee shared.

Roshan spoke to Access Hollywood.

Insiders spoke to Us Weekly.