It seems like every few months, we learn about more staff members who have quit working for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. But DAMN! When you put it all together like this, it’s shocking! Meg’s never gonna live down the “Duchess Difficult” nickname at this rate!!
Related: Prince William’s Hefty Salary For 2025 Revealed In New Report!
Here’s the breakdown, from first to the latest to leave! Buckle up, there’s been MANY exits…
Edward Lane Fox
Harry’s private secretary of five years, Edward Lane Fox, announced his departure in 2017, though he stayed on through the pair’s wedding planning. He was widely credited for helping transform Harry away from his “party Prince” era.
Melissa Toubati
Meghan’s personal assistant, Melissa Toubati, quit after just six months in 2018. Melissa played a big hand in royal wedding prep and helped manage Meg’s schedule, but after only a few months, she chose to quit “suddenly,” which caught the palace off-guard. A Kensington Palace insider told DailyMail.com:
“It’s a real shock. Why would she want to leave such a prestigious job so soon?”
Samantha Cohen
Back in 2018, The Sunday Times reported that a key member of Meghan’s Kensington Palace staff, Samantha “The Panther” Cohen, the couple’s interim private secretary, was quitting. She was huge in getting Meghan adjusted to royal life in the early days after her wedding. That said, her exit wasn’t a complete shock. She agreed to help Harry and Meghan on a temporary basis after putting in her resignation as Queen Elizabeth II‘s assistant private secretary and communications secretary. A month before her exit, there were talks that she was establishing “long-term projects,” but she ultimately left the position.
An insider explained to Us Weekly:
“She’s not leaving because of any drama with Meghan. She agreed to stay for six months…and knew they needed extra help. Samantha has a lot of respect for Harry and Meghan and enjoyed working for them. But her time is now up.”
15 Staff Members
February 2020 was a DOOZY for Team Sussex! Just a month after announcing their decision to step back from being senior members of the royal family, Harry and Meghan let go of 15 high-level staff members employed by them at Buckingham Palace, per DailyMail.com sources. OMG!
This includes the couple’s private secretary, communications chief, press officer, and more. Some didn’t lose their jobs entirely — they were just removed from their positions and absorbed into new roles in the royal household, but others were fired entirely. An insider shared:
“Given their decision to step back, an office at Buckingham Palace is no longer needed. While the details are still being finalized and efforts are being made to redeploy people within the royal household, unfortunately there will be some redundancies.”
The insider added:
“The Duke and Duchess have a small team, less than 15 people. The team are very loyal to the Sussexes and understand and respect the decision they have taken. They are all close and supporting each other. The team are busy helping to set their Royal Highnesses up for the future and working on a series of final engagements.”
Catherine St-Laurent
Their US Chief of Staff, Catherine St-Laurent, left her role after less than a year, according to Page Six, in March 2021. She also left her role as executive director of Archewell, transitioning to a senior advisory role for the org instead.
Mandana Dayani
Mandana Dayani was the president of Archewell for a total of 18 months in 2021 and 2022. After her exit, she reflected on the close bond she created with the couple with DailyMail.com, noting in part:
“So much of the kindness, mentorship, and support that Prince Harry and Meghan share with others happens quietly behind closed doors.”
Toya Holness
Once known as Meghan’s “shadow,” press secretary Toya Holness joined in October 2020 and left in May 2022. Insiders claimed she “wanted out” after “having to fulfil a great many functions for the couple,” according to DailyMail.com.
Rebecca Sananès
Rebecca Sananès was the Head of Audio at Archewell for 18 months before she quit in December 2022. She was brought on to help produce Meg’s Archetypes, and we all know how well that did…
Ben Browning
Head of Content, Ben Browning, who helped them get Harry & Meghan up and running at Netflix, left the company in 2023 when his contract expired. That said, he told Us Weekly it “was [a] positive and supportive” experience, saying:
“We all continue to be friends. The narratives we’ve seen suggesting the contrary are untrue.”
Bennett Levine
Bennett Levine, manager at Archewell, left in January 2024, the same month as his boss, Ben Browning, soon after reports that the couple wasn’t interested in extending their contract with Netflix. He worked for Harry and Meg for two years.
Fara Taylor
Fara Taylor, a marketing exec for Archewell, left in January 2023 after 18 months amid reports the Sussexes were planning to “streamline the company’s marketing arm,” The Standard reported.
Josh Kettler
This Chief of Staff didn’t last long at all! Just three months! In August 2024, a source in California confirmed to DailyMail.com that Josh Kettler quit! Harry reportedly appointed Josh himself, believing he’d be the perfect person to “guide” him “through his next phase,” but just three months later, it was all over!
According to the outlet at the time, since marrying in 2018, the couple reportedly went through at least 18 Chiefs of Staff. Insane!
According to a source, Josh quickly realized the job “wasn’t for him.” The insider claimed:
“There were aspects of it that he wasn’t comfortable with. He thought it was better to leave now than to continue in a job that he did not enjoy.”
A People insider said the exit was a “mutual” agreement between the three of them, suggesting he was only hired on a trial basis.
Ashley Hansen
In October 2024, their trusted publicist, Ashley Hansen, parted ways with them. Per Page Six, she left to start her own LA-based PR and consulting firm called Three Gate Strategies. A pretty reasonable reason to leave! And she seemed to be on good terms, too.
Meghan said in a statement:
“We are so proud of Ashley, especially as a female entrepreneur. We look forward to having her focused expertise on our business and creative projects and her continued oversight of our communications team. My husband and I are excited to be alongside Ashley as she builds something extraordinarily special with her firm.”
The actress noted Ashley would continue to consult on branding and PR strategies with the couple part-time. Hansen said of her time with the royals:
“I am incredibly grateful to The Duke and Duchess for their continued trust. Their unwavering support and belief in my new firm has been meaningful and is a testament to their leadership. I knew when they first hired me that they were giving me the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn’t be happier to continue working together.”
Emily Robinson
The couple’s Director Of Communications, Emily Robinson, quit after just FOUR MONTHS!!! This was announced in October 2025. Per People intel, she left on her own accord. A friend of the exec’s told DailyMail.com:
“It was her decision. She left a few weeks ago. She’s not a quitter, so things must have been pretty horrible for her to go.”
Jeez.
Kyle Boulia & Charlie Gipson
July 2025 was another doozy for the couple. They lost FOUR employees! According to Hello!, around this time period, four team members parted ways with the royals, including LA-based Deputy Press Secretary Kyle Boulia and UK Press Officer Charlie Gipson, both of whom joined in April 2024. The two others who left were said to be from the Sussexes’ private team.
Meredith Maines
Chief Communications Officer Meredith Maines quit her role after just about 10 months. According to People in December 2025, she was their eleventh PR pro in five years. Damn. Another two unnamed staff members were also let go at the same time.
Meredith came from more of a tech and entertainment background, so some were confused about her hiring, per People insiders. She previously worked at Google and Hulu and even served as a talent manager for American Idol, among other things.
As for why she quit, well, that also has to do with entertainment — only one of Hollywood’s most famous families ever: The KarJenners!
Harry and Meghan attended Kris Jenner‘s 70th birthday party in November 2025, after which Kris and Kim Kardashian included photos of them in Instagram photo dumps. However, the pics quickly disappeared, reportedly at the Sussexes’ request demand! Per Page Six, dealing with this backlash was Meredith’s “final straw.” Oof! That said, a source close to her insisted she “did what she needed to do” in her time with the royals.
James Holt
This one was a big shocker. Harry and Meghan’s closest and longtime advisor, James Holt, announced his exit in December 2025.
James, who was often described as the couple’s rock, had been running their Archewell Foundation as the executive director since 2021. He previously served as their PR chief during a highly messy time for the pair (when they fled the UK). He even moved across the pond with them! But his loyal service to the Sussexes came to an end because of a desire to return to London.
Shortly after the couple announced the transition from Archewell Foundation to Archewell Philanthropies amid financial burdens and other staff exits, James shared in a statement obtained by People on December 29:
“From my first project with Prince Harry eight years ago to improve mental health support for soldiers in the British military, to our recent work helping injured children in Gaza, he has consistently challenged me to think bigger about how we can make a difference. From the moment I met Meghan, I recognized a kindred spirit — someone who finds joy even in difficult moments and connects authentically with people regardless of circumstance.”
He went on:
“Above everything else, the work we’ve done together to support families affected by online harm will remain the most meaningful of my professional life. These families are extraordinary, and they inspire me every day.”
But ultimately, it was time for him to move on, he explained:
“After five incredible years in Los Angeles, it’s time for my family to return to London. When I pass the baton to the team leading Archewell Philanthropies in the coming months, I’ll do so with immense pride and optimism for what lies ahead. I’ll miss my colleagues deeply, and I’m grateful to Harry and Meghan for everything they’ve done — for me, and for the countless people we’ve worked to support.”
In their own statement, Harry and Meghan called him “a stellar support” to them over the years, gushing:
“His enthusiasm and talent in overseeing our philanthropic endeavours have been extraordinary. As James moves his young family back to the UK, we are proud that he will continue to guide various humanitarian trips for us overseas through Archewell Philanthropies.”
And that’s all the departures we know of so far…
Phew!
That was a lotta staff exits! And so many after such a short time on the team… Jeez. This doesn’t look good for the bosses!!
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