Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lost fourteen members of their staff between 2018 and 2022 in a string of high-profile departures.
The resignations included staff that worked for the couple’s media company, Archewell, as well as members of their PR team.
The former staffers to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who left between 2018 – 2022:
Rebecca Sananesr resigned as the head of audio at Archewell in December 2022 after a mere 18 months, after initially being brought on board to produce Meghan’s Spotify podcast, Archetypes. She has since been succeeded by media executive Serena Regan.
Mandana Dayani also stepped down in December 2022 from her position as president of Archewell, the Sussexes’ media and charitable empire. At the time, a spokesperson for Meghan and Harry stated that the couple would “take full lead of their company”.
Toya Holness, a strategic PR graduate from the University of Southern California, left in May 2022 after joining the Sussexes in October 2020 and was promoted to manage their PR across the Atlantic in March of the following year.
Insiders claimed she “wanted out” after finding herself “having to fulfil a great many functions for the couple”.
Catherine St-Laurent left in March 2021. She was the executive director of Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation and stepped down from her role after just one year.
Natalie Campbell, a diversity campaigner, left in June 2020. She was hired by Harry and Meghan to lead their cherished Sussex Royal charity foundation. She collaborated with Meghan on the cookbook Together, which highlighted the Hubb Kitchen, a group that came together to prepare fresh meals following the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.
Sara Latham left in March 2020. She was the former director of communications and was one of 15 employees who lost their jobs due to Megxit.
Clara Loughran left in March 2020. She was given a key role as the Sussexes project manager, overseeing their charitable projects and assisting with their wedding plans. She lost her job when the couple decided to start a new life.
Samantha Cohen left in October 2019. She left her position as the couple’s private secretary to work for environmental charity Cool Earth.
Amy Pickerill, who was once tipped to become Meghan’s private secretary after Cohen, surprisingly resigned as a key aide in May 2019.
Senior communications secretaries Jason Knauf and Christian Jones left their roles in March 2019 to work for Prince William and Princess Kate. It was discovered he lodged a formal complaint in October 2018 about the alleged bullying experienced by various members of the household. The Sussexes have consistently refuted allegations of bullying.
In January 2019, a royal protection officer, whose identity has been kept confidential for security reasons, also resigned from her position as Meghan’s top bodyguard.
Melissa Toubati, Meghan’s personal assistant, left her position in November 2018. She reportedly quit after only six months, allegedly reduced to tears by the Duchess’s demands. However, Meghan has refuted these claims.
In September 2018, Deputy Communications Secretary Katrina McKeever discreetly left her position at the Kensington Palace press office.
McKeever played a crucial role in liaising with Meghan’s family, including her father Thomas Markle. According to the book ‘Finding Freedom’ by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, McKeever “left on a good note with the Sussexes”.
