Buckingham Palace said Wednesday that it will look into claims that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, bullied numerous staff workers, after a British media story citing anonymous royal aides and a complaint filed against her in 2018.

According to a leaked email written by a staff member and released by the Times, Meghan drove two personal aides out of the household. And  she shattered the confidence of a third member of staff.

The article, which has created a sensation in the UK ahead of the broadcast of Oprah Winfrey’s tell-all interview with Harry and Meghan on Sunday (Monday AEDT), also included damning accusations that more effort was put into making the complaint disappear than dealing with its content.

The duchess said she was “saddened” by the “latest attack on her character” through her spokesperson.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry claimed that the bullying accusations were timed to derail their upcoming appearance with Oprah Winfrey.

Buckingham Palace issued an unusual statement, saying, “We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”

“Accordingly, our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time — including those who have left the household — will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned.

“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.”

An earlier statement issued by Meghan’s spokesman said: “The duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.

“She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good.”

The publication was “being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative” about Meghan’s behavior, according to Harry and Meghan’s lawyers. Jason Knauf, who filed the complaint, is currently the chief executive of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Royal Foundation, William and Kate’s main charity organization.

The Sussex team was prepared for the story. “It’s a fairly extensive list of things that has been pulled together,” one insider told the BBC. “The timing is not coincidental.”

The disclosure of the complaint triggered a new wave of bad press for the couple in the United Kingdom. They’ve already been chastised for leaving the royal family in 2020 and filming the Winfrey interview when the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh is in hospital with an illness and heart issues.

Oprah Winfrey asks Meghan, “How do you feel about the palace hearing you speak your truth today?” in a teaser film posted late Wednesday for a one-on-one interview scheduled to broadcast on Sunday.

“I don’t know how they could expect that after all of this time, we would still just be silent if there is an active role that the firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us,” Meghan responds. “And, if that comes with risk of losing things, I mean… there is a lot that has been lost already.”

The Times reported on Wednesday that Jason Knauf, Harry and Meghan’s communications director in 2018, wrote an email to Simon Case, the then-private secretary to the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, in October of that year.

According to the publication, Knauf filed the complaint after discussing the concerns with human resources director Samantha Carruthers, who evidently agreed that the issues were serious.

The royal family will be on high alert for any surprises from the Oprah interview. The majority of the show will be devoted to a discussion with Meghan. Harry is only anticipated to appear for a final portion.