The ex-aide's 2018 email was leaked to U.K. newspaper The Times and published just days before the couple's bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, in which the duchess accused the palace of leaking false stories about her to the media. We'd love to hear from you. James makes his first public appearance since being given his new title, A complete guide to King Charles IIIs sacred coronation robes. The end of the episode included a statement from Knauf's lawyer regarding his witness statement being voluntary: "These claims are entirely false. RT @royal_suitor: An anonymous "senior palace source" started helping ANL in 2020 according to Ted Verity's witness statement. But how did Knauf make his way to the British royal family in the first place? If, like us, you can't get enough of all-things-royal, it's likely you'll have heard the name Jason Knauf of late. Meghan Markle's former aide who accused her of bullying has given a witness statement against her to a U.K. tabloid, raising the stakes in a major court appeal. Who is Jason Knauf and what has he accused Meghan Markle of? Discover something new every day from News, Sports, Finance, Entertainment and more! A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex denied the claims to The Times, calling it a "calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful information. "They weren't willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband. The subscription period for this listing starts on May 4 at 12:00 (UTC) and ends on May 5 at 12:00 (UTC). ", Knauf's legal representative told Netflix: "These claims are entirely false. Who is Jason Knauf? The former royal aide giving evidence against The senior member was Jason Knauf and his witness statement was made to suggest Markle knew her private. A court filing describes the tabloid's case as being that Meghan "co-operated with the authors of the book, which [The Mail on Sunday] stands by (and which is now supported by Mr Knauf's witness statement). The evidence included a trove of letters and emails between Knauf and Meghan that, Associated Newspapers argued, showed the duchess had composed the letter with the knowledge it would likely be leaked, as she had shown a draft to the press officer. Meghan Markle's private messages to the aide who accused her of bullying have blown open her PR operation in the middle of her most high-profile lawsuit. Timeline of Jason Knauf's Involvement with Meghan Markle - Newsweek Some of the members of the family were like, But my wife had to go through that, so why should your girlfriend be treated any differently? The Scottish-born chef and presenter died suddenly, aged 46, on Sunday. Soleil of the Brazen Hussies on Twitter: "Jason Knauf's witness Co-operation through friends or other agents is as much co-operation as direct communication. So it was almost like a rite of passage. After a lengthy hearing, the court in Ciudad Juarez said there was sufficient evidence to charge Francisco Garduno, head of the National Migration Institute (INM), for unlawful exercise of public office, the Federal Judicial Council said. Who is Jason Knauf and what has he accused Meghan Markle of? She added: "Honestly Jason, I feel fantastic, cathartic and real and honest and factual. Jason Knauf: Where is Ex-Royals Communications Secretary Now? Meghan Markle, pictured at One World Observatory, in New York City, on September 23, 2021, was accused of bullying by Jason Knauf, pictured at Leicester City Football Club's King Power Stadium,. But, as shown in the recently released Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, it took its toll on her mental and physical health. Jason revealed texts and email correspondence with Meghan before she sent the letter to her father. Details of Meghan Markle's Communications Over Letter to Her Father Her happiness about moving to Windsor With its raw, unflinching honesty, Spare is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief, the publishers description reads. "The truth is v much needed and would be appreciated, especially around the Markle/wedding stuff but at the same time we can't put them directly in touch with her friends.". He left his position as Chief Executive Officer of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and. She won an emphatic victory in February and told the world of the newspaper's "illegal and dehumanizing practices" in a triumphant statement. When Harry met and became engaged to Meghan Markle, the aide began working closely with her as well. StyleCaster is a part of Penske Media Corporation. And if we dont have the resource or the capability or the capacity to able to stand up to those people then no one else does., At the end of the episode, a message in regard to Jasons involvement popped up, denying the claims . Shark Fin is OKXs principal-protected product that gives users the ability to g. Discover a world of exciting games, from heart-pumping action to brain-teasing puzzles. The newspaper is using the messages to argue Meghan's right to privacy was diluted by the fact she expressed a willingness for the world to know the contents of the letter. ", A filing by Meghan's lawyers, seen by Newsweek, reads: "[The Mail on Sunday's] conduct of the litigation is not just needlessly expensive and attritional but intrusivein particular in its attempts to force her to open up further aspects of her private and personal life and that of her friends. "The embarrassment is just going to keep growing over this," Laura Harth, the campaign director at Safeguard Defenders, told Newsweek. The Mail on Sunday argued in the original lawsuit that Meghan's right to privacy over the letter was undermined by the fact it was referenced in a biography, Finding Freedom, about her and Prince Harry. ", In a 22-page response to Mr. Knaufs witness statement, the Duchess of Sussex gave her own account of events, saying that While we had to recognize that anything was possible in the extraordinary circumstances in which we were living and therefore the need to mitigate against the risks of disclosure of the Letters contents, I did not think that my father would sell or leak the Letter, primarily because it would not put him in a good light. She added how she merely recognized that it was a possibility that the letter could be leaked, adding, To be clear, I did not want any of it to be published, and wanted to ensure that the risk of it being manipulated or misleadingly edited was minimised, were it to be exploited., She also said that she was especially sensitive to the royal familys concerns over her father's public comments about them, saying, I had very recently married into the family and was eager to please them., Mr. Knaufs statement also deals with questions over to what extent Meghan and Harry co-operated with the authors of biography Finding Freedom. If, like us, you can't get enough of all-things-royal, it's likely you'll have heard the name Jason Knauf of late. Knauf was born in Texas but moved to Virginia when he was five years old, according to The Courier. 26 Apr 2023 01:41:21 He formerly worked as their communications secretary, as well as for Prince William and Kate Middleton. "Given my experience with the U.K. media at that point, which I had come to distrust, I did not wish to meet with any authors in connection with any book being written about me, and nor did I. Royal aide Jason Knauf exposes Meghan Markle after Oprah interview Well, let us tell you. Jenny Afia, the couple's lawyer in the case, said during the docuseries that there was no way Knauf could have provided a witness statement in the case "without the authority of his bosses," clearly referring to Prince William. The Mail on Sunday's lawyers said that Knauf's evidence will contradict Meghan's if the judges allow it to be admitted. Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). I held her, we talked, she cried, and she cried, and she cried.". You can read more about what he said in his statement here. Meghan Markle wrote letter to father 'knowing it could be leaked They Refused to Fight for Russia. He also is believed to be the person who allegedly submitted bullying allegations against Meghan to the Palace, which kicked off an investigation into the claims in March 2021, right before the couple's Oprah interview aired. According to his LinkedIn via UsWeekly, Jason Knauf is still working for the Royals in some capacity. When ANL lost and filed an appeal in 2021, Jason Knauf, CEO of Prince William's Royal Foundation, publicly came forward to aid their case. In addition, Knauf described how the duke and duchess both cooperated with the authors of Finding Freedom , a best-selling book about the couple . In the lead-up to Prince Harry and Markle's 2018 royal wedding, Knauf was able to give his grandmother behind-the-scenes tours of Windsor Castle where the couple said "I do" as well as Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace. Meghan Markle apologizes to court for forgetting book discussions They did not authorise the book and have never been interviewed for it., Subscribe now to get 3 issues of Tatler for just 1, plus free home delivery and free instant access to the digital editions, A witness statement was submitted to the Court of Appeal from ex-aide Jason Knauf yesterday, Who is the new Earl of Wessex? Mr. Knauf was asked to provide evidence by both the Duchess of Sussex and Associated Newspapers. Founded last year, Serentica focuses on industrial decarbonisation by making renewables the primary source of energy for the commercial and industrial sectors, that use more than 50% of the electricity generated in India. Jason Knauf's witness statement in Meghan's case against the Daily Mail was not required, and could not have been done without the approval of Prince William. Who is Jason Knauf, The Former Royal Staffer Constantly Causing 'Harry The Mail on Sunday has asked the Court of Appeal in London to admit as supporting evidence a witness statement from her former communications secretary, Jason Knauf. And thats why everything that has happened to us was always going to happen to us because if you speak truth to power, thats how they respond.. "And I think he is in a position now to make a difference.". Knauf continues to work for William, but has been involved in lawsuits and reports against Meghan. Meghan ultimately won her Mail on Sunday lawsuit, but when the couple learned that Knauf gave a witness statement and provided texts Meghan had sent him (she had consulted him on the phrasing of the letter), they became emotional. "We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior towards Y [name removed].". Meghan's message to Knauf in 2018, prior to sending the letter said: "Obviously everything I've drafted is with the understanding that it could be leaked so I have been meticulous in my word choice but please do let me know if anything stands out to you as a liability.". In a witness statement that has not yet been accepted as evidence made public by the Court of Appeal, Jason Knauf said that Meghan had lost confidence that the privacy of her communications would be respected by her father. In the issued statement, it was explained that Jason's departure was due to a planned international relocation by the ex-CEO. about the way she was being treated by the media RT @royal_suitor: An anonymous "senior palace source" started helping ANL in 2020 according to Ted Verity's witness statement. When ANL lost and filed an appeal in 2021, Jason Knauf, CEO of Prince William's Royal Foundation, publicly came forward to aid their case. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's ex-aide claims she wrote letter realising In recent weeks, the 37-year-old royal staffer has been thrust into the spotlight after giving evidence against Meghan Markle - whom he was employed by as a communications secretary and aide between 2015 and 2018. Jason Knauf has been at the center of multiple conflicts with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Jason Knauf, who still worked for Prince William and Kate Middleton at the time, gave a witness statement. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. When she's not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City. In a witness statement made public by the Court of Appeal, Jason Knauf said that Meghan had "lost confidence" that the letter she wrote and communications to Mr Markle would be respected. Because all the comms teams basically, like, try to outdo each other, but this is the contract, he added. The allegations surfaced in March 2021 when The Timesof London published anarticle that cited an October 2018 email by the former royal communications secretary who claimed the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. When the investigation was launched, Meghans representatives toldBBC, that the allegations were the latest attack on her character and said it was particularly unfair since the duchess had been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. Meghan was allegedly cleared of the allegations, according to a source to Us Weekly, though Buckingham Palace refused to release the findings. Knauf's evidence caused embarrassment for Meghan, who made an apology for misleading the court over statements saying she had not collaborated with the authors of the Harry and Meghan biography Finding Freedom. Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks Varta ( ETR:VAR1 ) Full Year 2022 Results Key Financial Results Revenue: 896.5m (down 1.7% from FY 2021). ", Knauf continued: "The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. Associated Newspapers predictably appealed, Meghan and Harrys attorney Jenny Afia said in the doc. He went on: "We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior towards Y [name removed].". That statement was given by Jason Knauf, the same palace aide who almost exactly two years later would accuse Meghan of bullying two PAs out of the royal household. The person to issue the statement . We intend to step back as senior members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. The months ahead will be the busiest time in the Foundation's history with the first awards for The Earthshot Prize and more progress on our early childhood work. On the subject of Meghans letter to her father, Mr. Knauf's statement details how Meghan told him she drafted the letter with the understanding that it could be leaked and considered how calling Mr. Markle Daddy would pull at the heartstrings in the unfortunate event it was made public. The tabloid initially argued she intended the letter to become public, viewing it as part of a media strategy at a time when royal protocol stopped her speaking publicly. .css-1fgik18{color:#323232;display:block;font-family:NewParis,NewParis-fallback,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;-webkit-font-smoothing:auto;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1fgik18:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1fgik18{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1fgik18{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1fgik18{font-size:1.3125rem;line-height:1.2;}}All About The Stone of Destiny, All the Tiaras at Queen Elizabeth's Coronation, 17 Documentaries to Watch About the Royal Family, The Most Memorable Royal Photos of 2023 (So Far). Knauf is mentioned by name in the Netflix series "Harry & Meghan. Prince Harry's fractious relationship with his older brother, Prince William, got plenty of airtime in Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan's second volume. Im not gonna say anything about your brother, but its so obvious. Knauf announced he was leaving the foundation in May 2021, citing a planned relocation to India with his partner. . ', Lawyers for Associated Newspapers hope to be able to use Mr. Knaufs evidence to challenge Lord Justice Warbys summary judgement in Meghans favor earlier this year. "I think he got as close as you can get. Meghan is a fair boss and never bullied anyone who worked for her at the Palace in the first place, that source said. She and Harry are looking forward to putting the incident behind them and are happily moving on with their lives in Montecito., Harry also addressed the bullying investigation in the docuseries, calling it the result of him and Meghan speaking truth to power. Linz Willis on Twitter: "RT @royal_suitor: An anonymous "senior palace Harry & Meghan Just Accused William of Authorizing Aide Jason Knauf to Jason Knauf rejects claims he gave evidence in court at behest of Prince William Knauf was the PR lead for Harry and Meghan before joining Wales' foundation He later testified that Meghan's. Her lawyer Jenny Afia touched on the real reason Knauf likely submitted the statement: to damage Meghan's reputation. Knauf, 36, said Meghan went to great lengths to ensure that it could not be leaked in a misleading way, and that she said if Thomas Markle made the letter public, that would be on his own conscience. Because all the comms teams try to outdo each other, but this is the contract, the symbiotic relationship between the two institutions working the best that they can. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission from the sale. Where is Jason Knauf now? Who is Jason Knauf? The man giving evidence against Meghan Markle The new witness statement from the Sussexes' former Communications Secretary Jason Knauf, who went on to become the Chief Executive of William and Kate's Royal Foundation, was released by the . He's due to continue in his current role until the end of the year. Mr. Knauf was asked to provide evidence by both the Duchess of Sussex and Associated Newspapers. A witness statement provided by former royal Communications Secretary Jason Knauf details his text and email communications with Meghan and Harry. On the morning shows, you will see stages erected all around the castle a lot of it has been under Jason's direction.". The foundation overseas projects such as Kate's work with early-year childhood development and William's conservation work in Africa. "I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year," the email read. She also said, "In the light of the information and documents that Mr Knauf has provided I accept that Mr Knauf did provide some information to the authors for the Book and that he did so with my knowledge, for a meeting that he planned for with the authors in his capacity as Communications Secretary." The Duchess of Sussex sued the Mail on Sunday for breaching her privacy and copyright by printing a letter she sent her father Thomas Markle begging him to stop talking to the media. In recent weeks, the 37-year-old royal staffer has been thrust into the spotlight . A press release at the time said the role of the trustees was to offer "globally diverse perspectives and drive the Prize forward as it continues to scale up and achieve its ambition to repair our planet in this decisive decade.". ", Former royal aide Jason Knauf is seen on November 28, 2018, along with Prince William on June 23 and Meghan Markle on September 10. Fact Check: Is Kate Middleton Toasting Aide Who Accused - Newsweek "But before the Oprah interview had aired, because of their headlines, and that combined effort of the firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying in her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up, because I'm already carrying too much. "It was only once we were married and everything started to really worsen that I came to understand that not only was I not being protected, but that they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family," Meghan said during the interview. 3 Jason Knauf is said to. Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have not commented on the series or its content. King Charles Coronation: The Complete Guest List, Royals Confirmed to Attend Charles's Coronation. All Rights Reserved. Its even more obvious that theyll try and cover it up, the Invictus Games founder said, in reference to the Firm calling Jason a former aide of Meghan and Harry instead of Williams employee. "That's what I keep saying! Did Meghan Markle Secretly Hint at Her WME Deal? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, seen at Global Citizen Live on September 25, 2021, have seen their private messages with aide Jason Knauf exposed through a court case over a letter the duchess sent her father Thomas Markle. He was named CEO of The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess the couple's charity organization in September 2019, a position he held until this January. I cant think what my mom [Princess Diana] went through all those years ago by herself, he started. But what people need to understand is, as far as a lot of the family were concerned, everything that she was being put through, theyd been put through as well. Meghan Markle's Texts to Aide Over Letter to Her Father Made - MSN In a witness statement, Jason Knauf has revealed he regretted not giving evidence after the royal won her legal battle. In addition, Knauf described how the duke and duchess both cooperated with the authors of Finding Freedom, a best-selling book about the couples departure as royals. While the Palace never made the results of that bullying investigation, completed this year, public, a source told Us Weekly in July 2022 that the investigation cleared her. Knauf was the Sussexes' communications secretary when, in October 2018, he. Again, Jason, the former aide of Meghan and Harry, Harry said. He added: "The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. In an interview shown in the series, Jenny Afia, the couple's lawyer, says: "When we were just about to go to the Court of Appeal a senior member of the Duke of Cambridge's team came forward to give this witness statement which wasn't required, and sadly there's no way he could have done this without the authority of his bosses. Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal and Juventus are all vying for his signature. Meghan's Former Aide Behind Bullying Claim Gives New Statement Against Her Jason's 2018 email read: "I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. Meghan's spokespeople in the U.S. issued a response to the story that said the timing was evidently an attempt to discredit her. Here's everything we know about Jason Knauf. His How Did Jerry Springer Die? Sources told Us Weekly that Meghan and Harry were disappointed the results from the inquiry wouldn't be made public. Additionally, the report is produced and published concisely, making it accessible to various audiences, from industry experts to market readers. "Equally, you giving the right context and background to them would help get some Meghan wrote to Knauf: "Thank you very much for the info below - for when you sit down with them [the book's authors] it may be helpful to have some background reminders so I've included them below just in case. ", In June 2022, Buckingham Palace announced it would not publish the findings of its investigation into the bullying allegations "to protect the privacy of those who took part.". During the appeal, Knauf voluntarily provided a witness statement that included a text message Meghan sent him regarding a draft of the letter. The visit was days before Meghan's lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday was filed. She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. The court case concluded in 2021 with a win for Meghan. It said that Ma, who also heads his own Jack Ma Foundation, a philanthropic organization, will share his rich experience and pioneering knowledge on entrepreneurship, corporate management and innovation, with students and faculty. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? He formerly worked as their communications secretary, as well as for Prince William and Kate. The book was discussed directly with the Duchess multiple times in person and over email, he said, adding that The Duke and Duchess later authorised specific cooperation in writing in December 2018., Mr. Knauf said he had advised that it was not a good idea to put friends in touch with the authors as being able to say hand on heart that we did not facilitate access will be important. Mr. Knauf said about Harrys response, The Duke replied the same day saying: I totally agree that we have to be able to say we didnt have anything to do with it. 2023 SheMedia, LLC. He previously worked as the Senior Adviser to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as well as Communications Secretary to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Mr. Knauf was asked to provide evidence by both the Duchess of Sussex and Associate Newspapers, the message in the docuseries read. A friend with them asked why the press was calling Knauf Meghans former aide when he still worked for William at the time. For more about Prince Harry, read his upcoming memoir, Spare. Grab your salt and pour some directly down your drain at night. ", Information on how she had very minimal contact with her half-siblings throughout her childhood Now Jason Knauf, her former communications secretary, handed text messages she sent him about the handwritten note to the Court of Appeal, where the tabloid is trying to overturn her privacy.