Meghan said palace attitude was ‘death by a thousand cuts’, reports Sussex biographer

Duchess reportedly upset palace did not intervene on her behalf but would rally to the defence of William and Kate

Meghan Markle told a friend her experience living in the palace and the attitude of the Royal Family was like a "death by a thousand cuts", according to her biographer.

Omid Scobie, co-author of Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, said the couple's exasperation came to a head in January 2020.

Writing in Harpers Bazaar, the publication’s Royal editor at large said Kensington Palace urgently requested that Prince Harry cosign a statement against an “offensive” newspaper that Prince William “constantly bullied” the Sussexes before they decided to step away.

"Meghan later likened the experience to a friend as 'death by a thousand cuts.' Her reference to an ancient Chinese execution method was no coincidence," Scobie said.

The story goes that Meghan took offence at the request for a statement from Harry as her public image wasn't considered important, while Kate and William were being protected.

“Well, if we’re just throwing any statement out there now, then perhaps KP can finally set the record straight about me [not making Kate cry],” Meghan emailed an aide, according to Scobie.

The Sussexes biographer wrote that Meghan's state of well-being deteriorated as the institution refrained from intervening on her behalf as negative tabloid stories continue to pile up in the British press. Palace aides were also said to have told Meghan's friends to remain silent.

Scobie wrote that the allegations were put to the palace for response in the published biography, having several conversations with Clarence House, Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace.

All seemed "baffled" by the Sussexes' grievances.

"'This is nonsense. … We did absolutely everything [for Meghan],' the senior aide told me over the phone. I asked for examples," wrote Scobie.

“'Everybody welcomed her, and she was given all the support she needed,’ they continued. I asked again. 'They forget how accommodating we were when it came to navigating the duchess through her first steps [as a working royal],’ the aide added, somewhat curtly."