Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Staff Exodus Is Fueling Claims Their Brand Is in ‘Survival Mode’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s holidays have been filled with news about the latest staff exodus from their former Archewell Foundation brand — it’s a headline they can’t seem to escape from.

It was already revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex lost their 11th publicist, Meredith Maines, in a five year timespan. According to Page Six, it was Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday party, and the disappearing snapshots were the last straw. Now, Harry’s loyal friend, James Holt, is returning to the U.K. with his family after running the Archewell Foundation through every trial and tribulation.

Holt, who reportedly left due to visa issues, praised the couple in his statement. “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,” Holt wrote. “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.”

But PR expert Mark Borkowski warned Meghan and Harry, via the Daily Mail, that they are now in “survival” mode with the latest staff exits. Brokowski shared his concerns about their work because “reputation doesn’t unravel slowly. It buckles at speed,” — and they are in crisis right now.

“One viral misfire, one poorly timed quote, one tone-deaf lifestyle pivot, and suddenly the narrative outruns the strategy,” he continued. “In celebrity-led brands, especially ones fueled by moral narrative, the biggest danger isn’t hostility — it’s inconsistency.”

The Harry and Meghan issue that constantly comes up in the press is their inability to lead the ship. A source broke down the alleged problems to Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice Substack. “They’d ask for strategy, then scrap it if it didn’t match Meghan’s instincts or Harry’s mood,” the insider shared. “Nothing was ever final. Emails would come back at 2 a.m., changing a single adjective — then changing it back the next day.”

The revolving door was frequent enough that there seemed to be a pattern to the exits. A former staffer claimed, “You’re praised until the moment something goes wrong. Then you’re quietly pushed out.”

The Sussexes are going to have to spend 2026 mopping up the mess and figuring out what their Archewell strategy is because the British press loves to pounce on each misstep.

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