Meghan Markle’s alleged ‘extremely rude’ interview rules for household staff resurface as Sussexes return to UK

Meghan Markle could face an unexpected challenge as she and Prince Harry settle back into life in Britain: finding household staff willing to work for them.

Sources speaking exclusively to Page Six have alleged that Markle’s approach to interviewing household employees during her previous time in the UK left some applicants with a deeply negative impression.

One source described the interviews as “extremely rude,” claiming that people applying for housekeeping or maid positions were expected to hand over their résumés and then remain silent while Markle reviewed them.

The allegations come as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare to spend an “extended period” in the UK with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5.

Applicants allegedly told not to speak or make eye contact

According to the first source, prospective household employees were allegedly given little opportunity to speak during their interviews.

“They would hand over their résumé, then be told to stand off to the side of the room, not speak and not make eye contact while Meghan sat there and reviewed it,” the source claimed.

The insider alleged that Markle would read through the applicant’s résumé, assess them without asking questions and then end the meeting.

“She wouldn’t ask them questions or have any kind of actual conversation with them,” the source said. “She would take her time reading through the résumé, look the person up and down and then simply tell them they could leave.”

The source claimed that enough people had allegedly experienced this treatment for the stories to circulate within the private household staffing community.

“This happened with enough people that word absolutely got around among household staff,” the insider told Page Six.

“People remember how they were treated, and there are a lot of people who simply would not want to put themselves in that position and work for her now.”

Another source claims staff have heard similar stories

A second source told Page Six that concerns about working for the Sussexes extend beyond the alleged interview experiences described by the first insider.

“There’s definitely concern among household staff about Harry and Meghan coming back to the UK,” the source claimed.

According to the insider, stories about Markle’s alleged treatment of employees have circulated for years among people working in private households.

“Word has gotten around over the years about what Meghan can be like to work for, and she has a reputation for being very dismissive and rude to staff,” the source alleged.

The insider said that conversations within the industry could affect Markle’s ability to attract applicants now that she and Harry are returning to Britain.

“A lot of people in those circles talk, so stories travel,” the source said. “And there are definitely people who would have no interest in working for her because of what they’ve heard.”

The source also suggested that potential applicants may be hesitant simply because they do not know what life inside the Sussex household would be like.

“The assumption is that now that Meghan and Harry are back, Meghan will probably be looking to hire household staff again, but I don’t think she’s going to have people lining up for those jobs,” the insider alleged.

“There’s a lot of apprehension about what working in that household would actually be like.”

Meghan’s camp strongly denies the allegations

The claims were firmly rejected by a source close to Markle.

Speaking to Page Six, the source said Meghan and Harry “have always treated their staff with respect and professionalism.”

The insider also directly disputed the account of the alleged interviews, saying the suggestion that Markle behaved rudely toward applicants was “categorically untrue.”

Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.

The conflicting accounts mean that the alleged interview practices remain disputed. The accusations come from unnamed sources, while a person close to Markle has categorically denied them.

Sussexes prepare for an extended return to Britain

The staffing claims arrive at a significant moment for Harry and Meghan.

Page Six confirmed on Aug. 19 that the couple planned to return to the UK with their children at the end of the month for an “extended period.” Reuters subsequently reported that the family returned to Britain on Aug. 26, with Archie and Lilibet expected to begin school in the country in September. The family is not expected to live in a royal residence or resume official royal duties.

The move marks a major change after six years in California.

Harry and Meghan relocated to the United States in 2020 after stepping back as senior members of the royal family. They established their home in Montecito, the affluent Santa Barbara County community that has remained their base since then.

The couple are expected to maintain their business activities while living in Britain and remain “non-working members” of the royal family.

Their return also comes after years of intense public attention surrounding their relationship with the monarchy, the British press and Harry’s wider family.

Montecito neighbors reportedly welcome the change

Back in Montecito, some neighbors are reportedly looking forward to having less attention focused on their community.

The area is home to numerous high-profile residents, including Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe, but one local resident told Page Six that Harry and Meghan generated an unusual amount of media interest for the normally quiet area.

“When we first heard Harry and Meghan were moving to Montecito, there were definitely some concerns,” the resident said.

“There had already been so much negative press and attention surrounding them and the royal family, and I think people worried about what kind of spotlight that could bring to such a quiet community.”

The resident said the news of the couple’s return to Britain was therefore met with enthusiasm.

According to the source, locals “couldn’t be more thrilled” about the Sussexes leaving for the UK.

Harry and Meghan have called Montecito home since 2020, after their departure from royal life and move to California. Their decision to step back from senior royal duties became widely known as “Megxit.”

A new chapter for the Sussex family

Their return to Britain comes six years after that dramatic departure and represents another major transition for the family.

Harry and Meghan are returning with Archie and Lilibet, who are expected to attend school in Britain. At the same time, the couple will continue their independent business ventures rather than returning to official royal duties.

The couple’s relationship with the royal family remains complicated. While Harry’s relationship with his father, King Charles, has shown signs of improvement, tensions with other members of the family have persisted.

For Meghan, meanwhile, the move means rebuilding a life in the country where she previously lived as a working member of the royal family.

Whether the allegations about her treatment of household staff will have any impact on future hiring remains to be seen. For now, the claims have put an unexpected spotlight on one of the more private aspects of the Sussexes’ return: who will be willing to work inside their household.