Looks like the trouble of accusations is never-ending for the Sussexes. Following a turbulent start to 2025, with a bombshell Vanity Fair article, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now facing a fresh wave of criticism. Former royal butler Paul Burrell has recently shared his thoughts on Prince Harry following the expose.

Extensive blow with ‘American Hustle’

As the year 2025 began, it appeared promising for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. However, they quickly encountered significant obstacles. Meghan had to delay her new series launch due to severe wildfires in Los Angeles, and the couple was criticized as “disaster tourists” after volunteering at a food distribution centre for wildfire victims. Shortly after these incidents, Vanity Fair published an extensive 8,000-word article titled ‘American Hustle,’ which scrutinized the couple’s life five years after stepping back from royal duties in 2020. The article included troubling allegations about their treatment of staff, complaints from neighbours in Montecito, and claims that someone from Meghan’s team had approached a publisher about a potential post-divorce book.

“Prince Harry has always lived in a bubble”

Paul Burrell, who served as Princess Diana’s butler and spent considerable time with Harry and his brother William during their childhood, provided insight into the situation. Speaking to Betfair Casino, he revealed, “Vanity Fair is a prestigious title so to print such a damning article about Harry and Meghan is quite a precedent.” Burrell expressed skepticism about Meghan’s character, stating, “I’ve never met Meghan myself, but how can so many other people be wrong? It’s not possible.”

He then described Harry as “difficult,” “spoiled,” and “spoilt,” mentioning that “I know from firsthand experience how difficult Harry can be. I know how petulant he can be and how spoiled he is, because I’ve experienced that myself. He’s always lived in a bubble.”

Despite the strong backlash and allegations, Harry and Meghan have not spoken out against the article. According to The Times, they have denied the claims made against them behind closed doors. Royal public relations expert Ailsa Anderson suggested that their silence might be strategic, and responding could exacerbate the situation. She explained on Hello!’s podcast, “If you start adding fuel to the fire, then you’re just elongating a story.”

In the explosive article, Vanity Fair quoted ex-staffers who called Meghan a ‘mean girl type’ and could be “really, really awful” when things did not go her way at work. Claims also include the suggestion that Harry underestimated the impact his explosive memoir ‘Spare’ would have on his family relationships, and that Meghan has ‘re-parented’ Harry, among other things.

In the midst of all this, Meghan was also advised to stay away from social media, as she prepares for the launch of her lifestyle cookery show, experts suggested that she should allow Netflix to manage promotions instead of posting on her own due to all the controversy and scrutiny surrounding her.