Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s outgoing chief of staff ‘wasn’t comfortable’ with his job: report
The real reason Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s chief of staff abruptly left his position has reportedly been revealed — and it’s not as copacetic as sources initially claimed.
An insider told the Daily Mail Thursday that Josh Kettler, who worked in the role for only three months, had realized the chief of staff position “wasn’t for him” after aspects of the job made him uncomfortable.
“There were aspects of it that he wasn’t comfortable with,” the source claimed. “He thought it was better to leave now than to continue in a job that he did not enjoy.”
Page Six has reached out to Kettler for confirmation on the claims made in this report or comment on what might have made him feel discomfort, but we did not immediately hear back.
Meanwhile, a separate source claimed to People that Kettler’s decision to leave his role was a “mutual” agreement between him, Harry, 39, and Markle, 43, as the former had been hired on a trial basis only.
Per that insider, all of the parties involved allegedly agreed the temp chief of staff wasn’t the “right fit.”
Kettler boasts an impressive resumé, according to his LinkedIn, which lists him as the former chief of staff to the CEO of Better Place Forests and for the research and product development company Cognixion.
He also once worked for three years in the legal affairs department of Lionsgate Films.
Kettler is not the first person to have worked with the Sussexes whose departure garnered attention.
Palace aides who worked for Markle before she and Harry quit their royal duties previously claimed the “Suits” alum bullied them.
A human resources complaint written by communications assistant Jason Knauf in 2018 reportedly said, “I am very concerned that the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year.”
Harry disputed the allegations in his memoir, “Spare,” however, claiming that his wife “checked on staff who were ill, sent baskets of food or flowers or goodies to anyone struggling, depressed, off sick.”
In December 2022, major changes came to the Sussexes’ Archewell company as Markle’s podcast producer was out just days after the organization’s ex-president, Mandana Dayani, resigned.
Shortly after, several other top execs left Archewell, including Oscar-winning producer Ben Browning and Fara Taylor, the marketing campaign lead for many of the Sussexes’ projects.
Catherine St-Laurent, who was once also Harry and Markle’s chief of staff and then went on to work as a senior adviser for the Archewell Foundation, has raved about her time working with the couple, though.
“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to do that, to be able to be with them on their journey,” she told the Cut in July 2021. “The time that I spent with them was incredibly fulfilling.”
Page Six has reached out to Harry and Markle’s reps for comment on the speculation surrounding Kettler’s exit but did not immediately hear back.
