Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hire new head of communications days ahead of the release of the duchess’s new Netflix show
Prince Harry and Meghan have hired a new head of communications days before their Netflix show, it has been reported.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have replaced their Chief of Communications Ashley Hansen with Meredith Maines.
Ms Maines is thought to be a huge fan of the royal couple, who is due to start in the role from March 3.
It’s the latest in a long line of staff departures from the Sussexes’ team, with 19 having left since the couple were married in 2018.
In a statement, Ms Maines said: ‘I’m honored to partner with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to highlight the amazing work they are doing through Archewell, their broader business portfolio, and nonprofit work.’
Ms Maines was most recently employed at Lightspeed Venture Partners and has previously held positions at Google, Hulu and American idol.
It comes just days before the premiere of Meghan’s Netflix show ‘With Love, Meghan’.
The programme was pushed back following wildfires in California but is now set to be released on March 4.
Harry and Meghan have appointed a new chief of communications, just days before the release of the Duchess’s upcoming Netflix show
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘s global press secretary (pictured left) has announced she will be stepping away from her role with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to create her own firm
Ashley Hansen announced last year that she would be moving on from her role to create her own firm.
The couple’s PR chief for more than two years, praised on her boss following an article in the Hollywood Reporter that called Meghan ‘Duchess Difficult’ and accused her of reducing grown men to tears.
Leaping to the Duchess’ defence, Ashley she’d felt ‘personally supported’ by the Montecito-based mother-of-two and her royal husband.
Commenting on the change, Meghan said in a statement: ‘We are so proud of Ashley, especially as a female entrepreneur.
‘We look forward to having her focused expertise on our business and creative projects and her continued oversight of our communications team.
‘My husband and I are excited to be alongside Ashley as she builds something extraordinarily special with her firm.’
Ashley, meanwhile, said: ‘I am incredibly grateful to The Duke and Duchess for their continued trust in me. Their unwavering support and belief in my new firm has been meaningful and is a testament to their leadership.
‘I knew when they first hired me that they were giving me the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn’t be happier to continue working together.’
