HIRE POWERS

Another Key Staffer Bailing on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The Sussexes longest-serving employee has had enough of life in Los Angeles.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s year is ending with another bruising blow: James Holt, the Sussexes’ longest-serving aide and the executive director of their struggling charity, is stepping aside after nearly a decade working for the couple. The news broke just days after the resignation of Meredith Maines, their chief U.S. publicist. Holt, who followed the couple from the U.K. to California and has been at the helm of Archewell since 2021, struck a valedictory note in his farewell remarks: “Working with Prince Harry and Meghan has been one of the great privileges of my career.” Harry, Holt said, “has consistently challenged me to think bigger about how we can make a difference.” And he reserved particular warmth for Meghan, saying that “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.” The Sussexes returned the compliments in a statement of their own, calling Holt a “stellar support” for their work and adding that his “enthusiasm and talent in overseeing our philanthropic endeavours have been extraordinary.” Warm words all round, then, but Holt’s departure leaves the couple’s charity with just one full-time employee.

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Tom SykesEuropean Editor at Large

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