Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are likely to be “infuriated” by Prince William’s decision to hire their former royal aide, according to a royal expert.
Jason Knauf, who once voiced concerns about Meghan’s alleged behavior toward palace staff, has just been appointed CEO of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize.
Knauf previously served as the CEO of William and Kate’s Royal Foundation and worked as their communications secretary. Before that, he was also Prince Harry and Meghan’s press secretary during their time as working royals.
William brings in Jason Knauf to lead Earthshot Prize
It was recently revealed that Hannah Jones, the current CEO of the Earthshot Prize, will be stepping down this summer. Jason Knauf, already working with the organization, will step into her role.
In a statement, William praised Jones for building a “world-class organisation” that powers global environmental solutions and inspires young people. “As we look ahead to the future… I look forward to working with Jason to chart the course for the next five years,” he said.
A move that may anger Harry and Meghan
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that this move won’t go down well with the Sussexes. “William’s decision to make Jason Knauf CEO of his most prestigious project will infuriate Harry and Meghan. It is impossible to avoid feeling that this is precisely what William intended.”
He added: “To the Sussexes, Knauf undoubtedly has pariah status. William clearly doesn’t care what his brother or Meghan thinks.”
The 2018 bullying complaint
In 2018, Knauf raised internal concerns about Meghan’s alleged treatment of royal staff, claiming her behavior led to two aides quitting and another’s confidence being undermined. These claims surfaced publicly in 2021, though Meghan has always denied bullying allegations.
Earlier this year, Knauf addressed the controversy in an interview with 60 Minutes Australia. When asked about dealing with unwanted media attention, he said: “I think it’s tough, but it’s probably quite good… You’ve got to take everything that comes with the job.”
Asked if he’d do anything differently, Knauf replied: “No, it’s not what I would’ve sought… but at the end of the day, you get to do an amazing job.”