Harry and Meghan's 'revolving door' of employees continues: As Sussexes' new 'chief of staff' Josh Kettler leaves after just three months, how at least EIGHTEEN of their workers have left since 2018
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have now lost at least 18 staff since they married in 2018, with nine or more having left since they moved to California in 2020.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex suffered yet another departure today after their chief of staff Josh Kettler suddenly left his job after scarcely three months.
Mr Kettler joined Harry on his trip to London in May and the tour of Nigeria that followed with Meghan. He would also have been expected to travel with the royal couple to Colombia on their latest 'quasi-royal tour' which begins this Thursday.
The departure is the latest in a list of exits as the Sussexes have faced difficulty retaining staff in recent years - with other departures including Archewell manager Bennett Levine, producer Ben Browning and head of audio Rebecca Sananes.
Meghan has also failed to find a chief executive for her new cooking and lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, despite having interviewed several candidates.
Here, MailOnline looks at all 18 staff known to have left the couple since 2018:
Harry and Meghan at Kensington Palace in November 2017 after revealing their engagement
Harry and Meghan have lost at least 18 staff since 2018. TOP ROW, from left: Josh Kettler, chief of staff; Bennett Levine, production manager; Fara Taylor, head of marketing; Ben Browning, head of content; Rebecca Sananes, audio head; and Mandana Dayani, chief operating officer. CENTRE ROW, from left: Toya Holness, global press secretary; Catherine St Laurent, executive director; Natalie Campbell, founding director; Sara Latham, director of communications; Clara Loughran, palace aide; and Samantha Cohen, private secretary. BOTTOM ROW, from left: Amy Pickerill, assistant private secretary; Jason Knauf, communications secretary; Christian Jones, director of communications; Melissa Toubati, personal assistant; Katrina McKeever, deputy communications secretary; and an unnamed royal protection officer
Josh Kettler – chief of staff - August 2024
Harry appointed Josh Kettler as his chief of staff earlier this year, and it was said that he was the perfect man to 'guide' Harry 'through his next phase'.
In May, Mr Kettler joined Harry on his visit to London and was seen entering St Paul's Cathedral with the Duke for the Invictus Games anniversary service.
Later that month Mr Kettler was a key figure on the Sussexes's three-day tour of Nigeria, and would have been expected to join them for their trip to Colombia which begins this Thursday.
But the Daily Mail's Richard Eden revealed today that Mr Kettler - who previously worked for medical equipment manufacturer Cognixion - had suddenly left his job after three months.
Bennett Levine – production manager - January 2024
Bennett Levine joined Harry and Meghan's team in April 2021 as co-ordinator for Archewell Productions, the company set up by the couple in 2020 to make TV shows and films.
His appointment was hailed by so-called 'Sussex cheerleader' Omid Scobie as a sign that Archewell was 'a hive of activity that continues to grow'.
Mr Levine spent just over a year in his role before becoming manager in June 2022, and worked on the couple's bombshell Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan, which came out in December that year.
But in January 2024, he moved into a new role as tracking executive at Cinetic Media, an American film financing and distribution company. A source told the Mail at the time: 'It's a blow to the company [Archewell]. There's no doubt about that.'
Fara Taylor - head of marketing - April 2023
Fara Taylor was a Sony Pictures Entertainment marketing executive who had worked on dozens of movie campaigns including for those in the Spider-Man and James Bond franchises.
She then joined Archewell's team as head of marketing in March 2022, overseeing the three strands of Archewell Productions, Archewell Audio and Archewell Foundation.
Ms Taylor oversaw the team during the release of the couple's Netflix series Harry & Meghan in December that year, and as the Duke issued his controversial memoir Spare in January 2023.
But she left the Sussexes in April 2023, with her departure announced as the couple were said to have been planning to 'streamline the company's marketing arm'.
Ms Taylor now works for Australian actor Chris Hemsworth's entertainment production company Wild State, joining as head of brand in March this year.
Ben Browning - head of content - January 2023
Another member of Harry and Meghan's production team to have quit is Oscar-nominated producer Ben Browning.
Before joining Archewell, Mr Browning worked on Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan and Mark Ruffalo's series I Know This Much Is True.
He linked up with the Sussexes in January 2021 as their head of content, overseeing Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio.
But he left two years later in in January 2023, one month after the Harry & Meghan docuseries on Netflix came out.
Two months later it was announced he would become president of production at FilmNation Entertainment, where he had worked before joining the Sussexes.
Rebecca Sananes - head of audio - December 2022
Rebecca Sananes was hired as head of audio in July 2021 to produce Meghan's Spotify podcast Archetypes.
The series ran for 12 episodes from August 2022 and was part of a contract between the couple and Spotify estimated to be worth £18million.
But in December 2022, Ms Sananes quit after just 18 months in the role to become a freelance producer and was replaced by Serena Regan.
Then in June 2023 it was confirmed the Spotify deal had ended and there would be no second series of Archetypes.
Ms Sananes previously worked in public radio and was lead podcast producer of New York Magazine's show Pivot.
Mandana Dayani - chief operating officer - December 2022
Technology and media executive Mandana Dayani was seen as a key hire when she was taken on by Harry and Meghan as Archewell's first chief operating officer in June 2021.
Iranian-born Ms Dayani was employed to oversee growth strategy and day-to-day operations at the organisation and was known for her strong US media connections.
But her exit was confirmed in December 2022, just days before the couple's Netflix documentary series was released.
A spokeswoman for the couple said at the time that Ms Dayani was 'an integral part of Archewell and we are grateful for her passion, commitment and leadership'.
She added that the Sussexes took her on during a period of parental leave following the birth of Princess Lilibet, and they would 'now take full lead of their company'.
Toya Holness - global press secretary - May 2022
Toya Holness joined the Sussexes in October 2020 as part of their press team when they launched the Archewell Foundation.
She was then promoted to oversee their PR on both sides of the Atlantic in March 2021, as global press secretary.
Ms Holness became known as 'Meghan's shadow', having often been seen wearing a similar style of power suits and Hollywood sunglasses. But she left the Sussexes in May 2022.
In March this year, Ms Holness launched a new strategic communications firm called Rostraco with former Activision Blizzard executive Lulu Cheng Meservey.
Ms Holness previously worked as head of communications for New York City's Department of Education; a professor of journalism and communications at the University of South California; and director of marketing for video creation and distribution firm Deluxe.
Catherine St Laurent - executive director - March 2021
Catherine St Laurent was one of Harry and Meghan's first hires after they announced they were stepping down as senior royals in early 2020.
The Canadian mother-of-two was brought in as their chief of staff and executive director in April that year.
She was highly experienced from her work before then as Melinda Gates's head of communication at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
But just 11 months later in March 2021, it was revealed she was stepping down to 'transition to an advisory role' and was replaced by the Sussexes' long-serving ally James Holt.
Insiders said at the time that the bilingual strategist 'wanted out' and would no longer be viewed as a full-time employee or remain on the payroll.
Natalie Campbell - founding director - March 2020
Natalie Campbell, an author, broadcaster and social entrepreneur, spent two years working for members of the Royal Family between February 2018 and March 2020.
The diversity campaigner was hired by Harry and Meghan as a founding director to lead their Sussex Royal charity foundation - which was later replaced by the new Archewell Foundation - after moving from Prince William and Kate's Royal Foundation in August 2019.
Ms Campbell was best known for working with Meghan on the cookbook Together, which shone a light on the Hubb Kitchen, a group who came together to prepare fresh meals following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.
But she left the Sussexes less than a year after joining them, to become the chief executive of water company Belu.
Ms Campbell is also now the Chancellor of the University of Westminster and is a member of PricewaterhouseCoopers's Advisory Council. In addition, she ran in the London mayoral elections in May, attracting 47,815 votes or 2 per cent of the total.
Sara Latham - director of communications - March 2020
Sara Latham was hired as director of communications for Harry and Meghan in March 2019.
But after Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping down as senior royals, Ms Latham in March 2020 transferred to work for Queen Elizabeth II as an advisor on special projects including the Platinum Jubilee.
Ms Latham - who holds dual citizenship in the UK and US - left the Royal Household just over two years later after the Queen's death in September 2022.
Harry wrote about Ms Latham in his book Spare, revealing he had a 'tiff' with her after an announcement was issued saying Meghan had gone into labour, despite Archie having already been born.
The Duke said in the memoir that he recalled Ms Latham claiming 'that the press must be given the dramatic, suspenseful story they demanded'.
Clara Loughran - palace aide - March 2020
Clara Loughran was a palace aide who began working in the Royal Household office in 2011, helping both Prince William and Prince Harry.
Then in 2018 she took on a new role as senior programme co-ordinator to Harry and Meghan, and even handed the Duchess her wedding flowers in 2018.
Ms Loughran, who is originally from New Zealand, also helped to organise the couple's public engagements and accompanied them on their royal tour of Australia, Fiji and Tonga.
But the aide - who is married to Harry's ex-assistant communications secretary, Nick Loughran - lost her job when Harry and Meghan left the UK and moved to the US in March 2020.
Then in December 2020 it emerged they had hired her on a freelance basis to work on charity projects in the UK on behalf of their Archewell Foundation.
In November 2021 she was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order by Princess Anne during a ceremony at Windsor Castle, upon Harry's recommendation.
Ms Loughran now works for Herlihy Loughran, an advisory partnership she co-founded which links influential people and organisations to good causes.
Samantha Cohen - private secretary - October 2019
Samantha Cohen - known as 'Samantha the Panther' for her no-nonsense attitude - worked for the Royal Household for 18 years, beginning her career there as an assistant communications secretary to Queen Elizabeth II in April 2001.
She became deputy communications secretary in 2003 and then communications secretary in 2008. By 2011, she was deputy and assistant private secretary and had been planning to leave Buckingham Palace in 2018.
But the Australian agreed to stay on at the Queen's request to help guide Meghan through her first months in the Royal Family and eventually left in October 2019.
She previously told the Herald Sun that she stayed in her role three times as long as she had originally planned because officials struggled to find a replacement for her.
After leaving the palace, Ms Cohen became chief executive of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council in January 2020 - before leaving that role in April 2022 to become director of the Office of the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.
She was also co-founder and deputy chair of the Queen's Green Canopy project, and is now chief of staff to the global chief executive of mining company Rio Tinto.
Amy Pickerill - assistant private secretary - March 2019
Former Royal Bank of Scotland employee Amy Pickerill joined the Kensington Palace press team in 2016, and at first was assisting Prince William and Kate.
But in January 2018 she became assistant private secretary to Harry with the specific responsibility of working alongside Meghan ahead of their marriage in May that year.
Ms Pickerill, a former Treasury press officer, had played a key role in Harry and Meghan's tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga in October 2018 - their first royal tour as a married couple.
And she had been expected to become Meghan's private secretary after Samantha Cohen's planned departure - but then unexpectedly quit as a key aide in May 2019.
Ms Pickerill has since taken further jobs within the Royal Family's remit – later working for William's environment Earthshot Prize, and now creative director at the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Jason Knauf - communications secretary - March 2019
Jason Knauf made a complaint of bullying against Meghan during his seven years working for the Royal Family.
The American-born former corporate affairs executive worked for a range of institutions before joining the royal household, from the office of the New Zealand prime minister to HM Treasury and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
He became the communications secretary to William, Kate and Harry in 2015 before leading the press team for Meghan and Harry and later becoming a senior adviser to William and Kate.
When working for Harry and Meghan in October 2018, he emailed his concerns about Meghan to William's then private secretary, in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff. Meghan's legal team have in the past strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Mr Knauf led a review of the Royal Foundation's role and structure from March 2019, before becoming its chief executive in September of that year.
He left his post at the end of 2021 but remains a trustee of William's Earthshot prize having overseen its launch during his time at the Foundation. In December 2022, he was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO) in the King's gift.
Christian Jones - director of communications - April 2019
Christian Jones, a former Brexit speechwriter for David Davis, had racked up nearly seven years of experience working with two Government departments when he was hired by Kensington Palace.
The Cardiff University graduate joined became deputy director of communications for both Meghan and Harry and William and Kate in December 2018.
His role, which was advertised publicly, included liaising with British and international media and supporting the young royals' charitable work and engagements.
He stayed in this job until March 2019, and then became communications secretary to just William and Kate, and then private secretary to William in April 2020.
But in April 2021 he left to join private equity group Bridgepoint as a partner and head of corporate affairs, where he remains today.
Unnamed woman - royal protection officer - January 2019
A female protection officer who joined Harry and Meghan's team in 2018 quit less than a year later in January 2019.
The armed Scotland Yard bodyguard famously whisked Meghan out of harm's way when large crowds at a bustling market raised security fears on a visit to Fiji.
The appointment of the Sussexes' head of protection, who has never been named for security reasons, had made her the first woman to hold such a key post for the royals.
But a Scotland Yard source told the Daily Mail at the time of her departure: 'It's for personal reasons and absolutely nothing to do with the duke or duchess, who are hugely disappointed at losing her.
'She has made a decision to leave the Met Police. It's a real shame as she was a great addition to the team and hugely liked. It came as quite a shock. Everyone was very sad at the news. As was she. It was clear it was a decision she hadn't taken lightly.'
Melissa Toubati - personal assistant - November 2018
Meghan's personal assistant Melissa Toubati joined the Sussexes' team in 2018 and played a key role in her wedding to Harry that year.
But she left the job after just six months in November 2018, with a source claiming soon after that her job was 'highly pressurised' and Meghan 'put a lot of demands on her and it ended up with her in tears'.
Miss Toubati was praised upon her departure by a royal source as a 'hugely talented person' who 'played a pivotal role in the success' of the wedding.
After leaving the royals, she was recruited by Natalie Livingstone, author wife of billionaire Richard Livingstone, as weekend nanny for the couple and their three children at their £20million home in London's Notting Hill.
Miss Toubati had previously worked for Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field.
Katrina McKeever - communications - September 2018
Katrina McKeever worked for Kensington Palace as deputy communications secretary.
She had an important role with Meghan's family around the time of the royal wedding, including her estranged father Thomas Markle.
But reports of Meghan shouting at one of Kate's team had allegedly referred to Ms McKeever, and she quietly departed from her role in September 2018.
Royal author Tom Bower claimed that her departure had been provoked by Meghan's criticism of her performance in the run-up to the royal wedding, but the Duchess denied she had been critical.
In the book Finding Freedom, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand reported that Ms McKeever 'left on a good note with the Sussexes'.
