Alert – Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘dismiss distressing Vanity Fair article’ – as Sharon Stone reveals what it’s like to live near the Sussexes

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have reportedly dismissed ‘distressing’ allegations made by Vanity Fair against them in their latest article. 

The damning profile in the magazine stated that the Duchess of Sussex would reportedly be ‘warm and effusive’ towards employees at the start before turning ‘cold and withholding toward the person she perceived to be responsible’ when something ‘went poorly, often due to Meghan and Harry’s own demands’.

But now neighbours like actress Sharon Stone have stood up for the royals, adding that the Duchess ‘waves at people on the street’. 

A source who worked in media projects had last week told Vanity Fair of Meghan: ‘She’s constantly playing checkers- I’m not even going to say chess – but she’s just very aware of where everybody is on her board. 

‘And when you are not in, you are to be thrown to the wolves at any given moment,’ which they say meant ‘undermining’ behaviour, adding: ‘It’s talking behind your back. It’s gnawing at your sense of self. Really, like, Mean Girls teenager.’

The claims also included comments from neighbours in Montecito, who said the couple had brought ‘more attention’ to the town, suggesting it was unwanted.

Elsewhere, the profile details allegations from former employees of Meghan who reportedly felt mistreated during their time working with her.

These claims, which echo accusations from her time at Kensington Palace, paint a troubling picture of a woman whose behaviour allegedly left staff ‘having therapy’ and led to allegations of ‘bullying’ behind the scenes. These allegations were vehemently denied by representatives of Meghan and Harry at the time. 

According to The Times, the couple have dismissed the allegations, as sources close to the pair described them as ‘distressing’.

The paper also said another neighbour of the Sussexes, actress Sharon Stone has defended the pair, telling Hello! magazine they are a ‘giving, caring, participating part of our community’ and that they wave at people on the street. 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have allegedly dismissed allegations against them in a Vanity Fair article 

Sharon Stone has defended the pair, telling Hello! magazine they are a ‘giving, caring, participating part of our community’

The profile details allegations from former employees of Meghan who reportedly felt mistreated during their time working with her

The damning profile in Vanity Fair stated that the Duchess of Sussex would reportedly be ‘warm and effusive’ towards employees at the start before turning ‘cold and withholding toward the person she perceived to be responsible’ when something ‘went poorly

Producer Jane Marie, worked with the couple during development of Archewell audio projects, also insisted to Vanity Fair that Meghan is ‘just a lovely, genuine person’.

Despite the bombshell allegations made in the profile, staff loyal to Meghan and Harry have previously defended the couple to US Weekly magazine, describing the Sussexes as ‘caring’ bosses who give employees their children’s old baby clothes, fresh flowers and ‘care packages’.

Josh Kettler, Harry’s chief of staff who left after just three months in August last year, insisted he was ‘warmly welcomed’ by the pair and describes them as ‘dedicated and hardworking’.  

Ben Browning, Archewell’s former head of content – who was responsible for their tell-all Netflix documentary but then left before the end of his contract- says his experience at the company and with Meghan and Harry in general ‘was positive and supportive’

Their PR chief, ‘global press secretary’ Ashley Hansen, who is leaving the company to start her own firm, says they treated her with ‘the kind of concern and care a parent would express if it were their own child’ when she took time off for surgery, adding that they also sent flowers and gifts.

These positive comments came off the back of a negative piece published in the Hollywood Reporter, in which Meghan was described as a ‘dictator in high heels’.

Tom Bower, the royal author and investigative journalist, described the recent revelations as ‘devastating’ for Meghan, especially given her recent attempts to reshape her public persona as a warm, loving mother and wife. 

‘Having strongly denied the accusations that she bullied her staff in Kensington Palace, the revival of her image of the Difficult Duchess is a disaster just on the eve of the launch of Netflix‘s ‘With Love, Meghan’. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have famously worked on many different projects over the years, from Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare to Meghan’s podcast Archetypes

The Duchess of Sussex decided to postpone the release of her Netflix cookery show With Love, Meghan, because of the destruction brought about by the fires

‘Having invested so much to re-brand herself as a loving, caring Californian mother and wife, the VF disclosures have poisoned the smiling image of the welcoming home-maker. 

Prince Harry, too, faces growing scrutiny, with experts noting his portrayal in the Vanity Fair piece as ‘lost, out of his depth, and naïve.’  

Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator, said the couple’s attempts to project a caring, philanthropic image through efforts like helping victims of California’s wildfires are unlikely to gain traction in light of the ongoing allegations. 

‘The Sussexes are attempting to project a caring image by helping some of those affected by the cataclysmic wildfires currently ravaging California’, he said. ‘They won’t get far after publicity is given to this. 

‘Her With Love, Meghan cookery series is, judging from the trailer, saccharine and silly. This was postponed and is now scheduled for a release on 4th March but unenthusiastic online reaction might make the streaming giant think twice and dump it and, when their contract runs out later in the year, preserve very little of it, if any. 

‘The Sussexes have made so many accusations against the royal family. They, especially Meghan, now have a lot to answer. Nobody likes bullies, especially entitled bullies!’

Meghan and Harry rallied around LA fire victims, having been on the cusp of evacuation themselves, by making donations to relief efforts through their Archewell Foundation and over the weekend served meals to survivors alongside the wife of embattled Governor Gavin Newsom. 

However, not everyone was impressed by their appearance with Family Ties star Bateman writing online: ‘Meghan Markle and Harry are no better than ambulance chasers.

Meghan and Harry rallied around LA fire victims, having been on the cusp of evacuation themselves 

The pair opened the doors of their mansion to friends and loved ones forced to evacuate due to the ongoing fires in California and urged others to do the same as the blaze continued to tear through the West Coast city. 

‘What a repulsive ‘photo op’ they achieved. They are ‘touring the damage’? Are they politicians now? They don’t live here; they are tourists. Disaster Tourists.’

This came just days after they opened the doors of their mansion to friends and loved ones forced to evacuate due to the ongoing fires in California.

They also urged others to do the same as the blaze continued to tear through the West Coast city. 

The Duchess of Sussex decided to postpone the release of her Netflix cookery show With Love, Meghan, because of the destruction brought about by the fires – a decision that was praised by her fans.  

However, this led to some wry remarks from those connected to the Royal Family, Richard Eden disclosed.

One friend of the royals pointed out to this week that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex allowed their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey to be broadcast in 2021 even though Prince Philip was seriously ill in hospital. 

Prince Harry’s grandfather died four weeks later.

‘Meghan seemingly didn’t think twice about going ahead with the Oprah interview, did she?’ commented the royal source.

Some courtiers are even wondering whether the postponement of her cookery programme is a commercial one.

‘Would people really want to watch a glossy TV show about someone’s luxury lifestyle when thousands of Americans have seen their homes and lives destroyed?’ one figure with connections to the royals asked Eden this week.