Charles kept bullying inquiry outcome private to 'keep the peace' with Harry and Meghan

Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped away from royal duties and settled in the US, they have spoken openly about their fractured relationships with members of the monarchy.

Harry detailed the breakdown of his relationships with his brother Prince William and his father King Charles in his memoir Spare, and the Sussexes shared their side of the story in the Netflix docu-series Harry & Meghan. 

Now, in an updated version of his biography Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind The Crown, royal correspondent Valentine Low has elaborated on a number of key moments within the monarchy's modern history, including the Palace's reaction to Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah in 2021 and how Kate was the driving force behind the famous line in their response. 

But Low has also claimed in the extract released in The Times that Charles and the Palace kept the outcome of the controversial bullying inquiry private in order to 'keep the peace' with the Sussexes. 

Back in 2021, the publication ran a story claiming that bullying allegations had been made against the Duchess of Sussex in 2018. While a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan called the story a 'smear campaign', the Palace declined to comment - something Low called 'wise'. 

Following the news, a statement was released from the royal household stating that they would be investigating the allegations. 

According to reports, the Palace then enlisted the help of a third party to conduct the inquiry, but later declined to share the outcome publicly. 

Low has claimed that in doing so, the now-King and the Palace were attempting to diffuse tensions between themselves and the Sussexes. 

He writes: "The palace said it would not be releasing the outcome of the inquiry, or even revealing what lessons had been learnt, on the grounds of confidentiality. 

"But most people suspected that the real reason they were burying the report was to try to keep the peace with Harry and Meghan."

The Palace has not commented on the story. 

Valentine Low's Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind The Crown is available to buy now.