Prince Harry, Meghan bid farewell to another staffer after publicist exit

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had not quite recovered from the exit of their distinguished publicist, Meredith Maines, when another key member of their team announced their shocking exit.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had revealed this month that they are undergoing restructuring of their charity organisation, Archewell Foundation rebranded as Archewell Philanthropies.

As the couple copes with a rather rough wrap-up of their year, James Hold, who had helmed Archewell since 2021, issued a statement that he and his family are relocating back to the UK.

However, he noted that it had been “one of the great privileges of [his] career” working for Prince Harry and Meghan.

“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,” James wrote in his statement.

He also had some positive words for the Duchess noting that he “recognised a kindred spirit” the moment he met her. James praised Meghan for being “someone who finds joy even in difficult moments and connects authentically with people regardless of circumstance”.

He continued, “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,” the statement added. “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.”

Finally, he surmised, “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.”

By the optics of the statement, it doesn’t seem that there is bad blood between the former staffer and the Sussexes.