January 2, 2026 • 10 mins
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have confirmed another senior departure from their charitable organisation, with longtime adviser James Holt stepping back from his day-to-day role at Archewell.In statements published by People, Holt and the Sussexes praised their years of collaboration, with Holt citing family reasons for returning to London. However, sources speaking to Page Six claim the foundation has been dramatically scaled back, with staff numbers reportedly reduced by more than eighty percent and Archewell Philanthropies described as “essentially shuttered.”The development follows a string of recent exits and renewed scrutiny of the Sussexes’ working environment. Commentators and former aides have pointed to repeated staff turnover, while PR experts argue that the coming year may require Meghan to redefine her public identity with greater focus and consistency.We also revisit claims that Prince Harry’s deep mistrust of the media dates back to the earliest days of his relationship with Meghan, following their first public appearance together at the 2017 Invictus Games.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have confirmed another senior departure from their charitable organisation, with longtime adviser James Holt stepping back from his day-to-day role at Archewell.In statements published by People, Holt and the Sussexes praised their years of collaboration, with Holt citing family reasons for returning to London. However, sources speaking to Page Six claim the foundation has been dramatically scaled back, with staff numbers reportedly reduced by more than eighty percent and Archewell Philanthropies described as “essentially shuttered.”The development follows a string of recent exits and renewed scrutiny of the Sussexes’ working environment. Commentators and former aides have pointed to repeated staff turnover, while PR experts argue that the coming year may require Meghan to redefine her public identity with greater focus and consistency.We also revisit claims that Prince Harry’s deep mistrust of the media dates back to the earliest days of his relationship with Meghan, following their first public appearance together at the 2017 Invictus Games.
Palace Intrigue is your daily royal family podcast, diving deep into the modern-day drama, power struggles, and scandals shaping the future of the monarchy.
Hear our new show "Crown and Controversy: Prince Andrew" here.
Check out "Palace Intrigue Presents: King WIlliam" here.
👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 and 2 are fully available now for everyone. Season 3 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 3 BEFORE REGULAR LISTENERS as a subscriber! Hit that "UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING" Banner on the top of the Apple player. AND listen to Crown and Controversy "NORWAY'S ROYAL REBELS" here and get the full season as a premium subscriber now.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conve
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ah Calarogu Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intry.
You I'm your host. Mark Francis, Megan Markle and Prince
Harry have confirmed another senior change behind the scenes of
their charitable work, announcing that longtime advisor James Holt is
(00:22):
stepping down from his day to day role at Archwell. Holt,
who has served as executive director, shared the news in
a statement published by People. Reflecting on nearly a decade
of work with the Duke of Sussex, he said, from
my first project with 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
(00:46):
consistently challenged me to think bigger about how we can
make a difference. He added that meeting Meghan revealed a
kindred spirit, someone who finds joy even in difficult moments
and connects authentically with people regardless of circumstance. Explaining his departure,
he noted, after five incredible years in Los Angeles, it's
time for my family to return to London. One imagines
(01:07):
Harry can understand. Holt said he would hand over responsibilities
with immense pride and optimism for what lies ahead. In
a joint statement, Megan Markel and Prince Harry praised Wholt
as a stellar support for nearly ten years, adding his
enthusiasm and talent in overseeing our philanthropic endeavors has been extraordinary.
The announcement follows recent staffing changes at Archwall, including the
(01:30):
departure of Chief Communications Officer Meredith Mainz after about ten
months in the role. According to Page six, James Holt's
longtime counterpart at Archwell, vice President Shawn A. Knapp, is
not a full time employee and has been working on
a consultant basis. The outlet says that following Holt's departure,
(01:50):
Archwell Philanthropies had effectively been reduced to just Halt and Knapp,
and sources now claim the foundation has been essentially shuttered.
One industry source familiar with the Sussex's told Page six
anyone still there is simply an enabe. Were enarmored with
what the couple once was, not who they are today
(02:11):
from a year ago. They have decreased their staff by
at least eighty to eighty five percent. Another source said,
every time someone leaves, Harry and Meghan They say they
are staying on in some capacity, but they are never
heard from again. Shawna hasn't been a full time employee
in some time. This is crazy. They have lost their
foundation in a matter of weeks. On the production side,
(02:32):
page six notes that only a handful of staff remained.
Chanelle Sine continues as head of Unscripted alongside producer Tracy Ryerson. However,
sources say the future of the team depends heavily on
whether Megan's Netflix series With Love Meghan is renewed. One
source asked, if Meghan's Netflix show isn't picked up for
another season, then what happened to their staff? In the Telegraph,
(02:53):
Hannah Thundress writes, of all the Duke and Duchess of
Sussex's staff departures of recent years, there have been a few,
and this one will hit the hardest. In the normal world,
the departure of a senior member of staff after a
relatively long tenure would not be headline news. Mister Holt
has had good reason to seek a new challenge after
working his way to the top of the Sussex employment
(03:14):
ladder and staying there for some time. But the Sussexes
are not and never have been the normal world. His
exit is the latest in a string of staff departures
so long that there is no complete public record of them.
No one has yet coined a phrase for the exodus
of Sussex staff sussexit, but it has become a central,
unfortunate part of Prince Harry and the Duchess's public image.
(03:37):
Some have disappeared quietly, Others have issued glowing statements about
how wonderful the time with the Sussexes was and what
a wrench it was to leave. Mendana Deani, their former
chief operating officer, called them kind, decent, caring people who
am very proud to call my friends. Three days ago,
Meredith Mainz, the eleventh PR person to leave in five years,
(03:57):
said she would be pursuing a new opportunity a year
of inspiring work. However, the anonymous briefings tell a different story.
Bullying allegations filed back at the Palace by a concerned
press secretary who said the Duchess seems intent on always
having someone in her sights, have not gone away. PR
expert Nick E tells The Express from a PR point
(04:18):
of view, twenty twenty six feels like a pivotal reset
year for Megan. The appetite isn't necessarily for more from Megan,
but for clarity from her. We want to define who
she is and what her place is in the world
of celebrity. She has scatter gunned herself constantly over the
past few years, and it's not really worked. For maximum success,
she should focus on two things, consistency and credibility. That
(04:41):
means choosing one or two core areas to concentrate on.
Whether that's philanthropy, female entrepreneurship, or just being a celebrity
with a brand. She just needs to commit to it
long term without constantly reframing her narrative. The biggest win
for Megan would be to let her work speak louder
than her story. When she's at her strong longest, she's
impactful and influential, which is the lane she should stay in.
(05:05):
Royal observers speaking to Radar Online claim Prince Harry's deep
mistrust of the media can be traced back to the
very start of his relationship with Megan. Following her public
debut alongside him at the twenty seventeen in Victors Games
in Toronto, Prince Harry and Meghan appeared together publicly for
the first time at the international sporting event, walking hand
in hand and immediately drawing intense press attention. Insiders say
(05:27):
that moment marked a turning point in Harry's relationship with
the media. A Royal expert told the outlet they were
surprised by Harry's reaction to press coverage at the time,
saying we were absolutely stunned by that. I couldn't believe
he actually did it. The source pointed to the statement
Harry released shortly afterward accusing the press of crossing a lion,
and described it as an early sign of what they
called a horrific relationship with the media. Looking back, the
(05:51):
same insiders said there were perhaps a few comments in
some columns that were unkind about Meghan's background, but overall,
the vast majority of coverage around ninety nine percent, was
very positive and welcoming. The expert described Harry's response as
an instinctive effort to protect Megan, characterizing it as paranoia
that was inevitably linked to Mikel's arrival in the Royal Fault.
(06:12):
The source added, she came across as a real breath
of fresh air. I couldn't believe Harry went to the
press claiming she was being mistreated, because for the most part,
the consensus was that she wasn't and he was being
overly sensitive and paranoid. According to Inside As, that period
also saw Harry bottling up frustrations that would later surface publicly,
including his memoir Spare. One source said, from Spare and
(06:34):
everything That's happened, since it's clear Harry bottled up and
released a lot of anger and frustration. The comments come
as Harry and Meghan continued to face scrutiny over their
personal lives, including criticism of Megan's ongoing estrangement from her father,
Thomas Michael Senior. One source said, most other daughters would
be by their father's side if he was in that much,
need not just send him a letter. It's pathetic and
(06:56):
also hypocritical when it's seen in comparison with her promotion
of family friendly messages on her Netflix shows more palace
in just a moment. The Cabinet Office has been accused
of shielding the Royal family after withdrawing documents about royal
travel costs at the last moment, citing an administrative error.
(07:18):
The files released to the National Archives included material on
the death of Diana, an internal correspondence following a misaddressed
birthday telegram sent to the Queen Mother by the office
of former Prime Minister John Major. However, minutes from Number
ten dating from two thousand and four and two thousand
and five covering royal visits were pulled shortly before publication.
(07:40):
Journalists who saw the documents before they were withdrawn said
the material appeared routine. The minutes included references to overseas
trips by Prince Andrew during his time as a UK
Trade Envoy. Those minutes reportedly discussed allocating an additional ninety
thousand pounds in public funds to cover the form at
Duke of York's foreign travel while he served as a
(08:00):
UK Trade Envoy. The material was later withheld under what
was described as a legal exemption connected to the royal family.
The decision has prompted accusations of a coverer. Graham Smith,
chief executive of the anti monarchy campaign group Republic, said
there should be no royal exemption at all. But this
exemption surely doesn't apply to Andrew now he's no longer
a royal. The Royals have sought to keep everything under
(08:23):
wraps when it comes to Andrew, not to protect him,
but to protect themselves. Jimmy News also weighed in, reporting
that the decision to withhold the Andrew Mountbatten wins of
files had sparked fury and arguing that continued secrecy could
not be justified following his removal from official royal duties.
The release also revisited a material relating to the death
of Diana, Princess Wales, much of which had already been
(08:45):
made public in two thousand and five under the Freedom
of Information Act. Newly available papers include an account by
Briton's then ambassador to France, Michael Jay, but also confirmed
that Downing Street refused to release details of a phone
call between Tony Blair and French President Jacques Shirac, arguing
that such conversations were confidential and not in the public interest. Separately,
(09:09):
the files reveal an episode from nineteen ninety four in
which Number ten was forced to apologize after a birthday
telegram to the Queen Mother was incorrectly addressed. John Major's
office blamed British Telecom for the error, while the Queen
Mother herself later responded with thanks, appearing unconcerned by the mistake.
For now, the files will remain unavailable to the public,
further fueling debate over transparency, public funding, and the extent
(09:34):
to which the royal family continues to receive special treatment
under government disclosure rules. And there I haven't. If you'd
like to email us addresses the Palace intrig at gmail
dot com. Please followus on Spotify, Apple or the app
of your choice, and you can find us on Facebook
and Instagram and leave us a nice review. If you're
enjoying the show and Mark frantis my thanks to John McDermott.
This is balanced intrigue in good times
Ah Calarogu Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intry.
You I'm your host. Mark Francis, Megan Markle and Prince
Harry have confirmed another senior change behind the scenes of
their charitable work, announcing that longtime advisor James Holt is
(00:22):
stepping down from his day to day role at Archwell. Holt,
who has served as executive director, shared the news in
a statement published by People. Reflecting on nearly a decade
of work with the Duke of Sussex, he said, from
my first project with 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
(00:46):
consistently challenged me to think bigger about how we can
make a difference. He added that meeting Meghan revealed a
kindred spirit, someone who finds joy even in difficult moments
and connects authentically with people regardless of circumstance. Explaining his departure,
he noted, after five incredible years in Los Angeles, it's
time for my family to return to London. One imagines
(01:07):
Harry can understand. Holt said he would hand over responsibilities
with immense pride and optimism for what lies ahead. In
a joint statement, Megan Markel and Prince Harry praised Wholt
as a stellar support for nearly ten years, adding his
enthusiasm and talent in overseeing our philanthropic endeavors has been extraordinary.
The announcement follows recent staffing changes at Archwall, including the
(01:30):
departure of Chief Communications Officer Meredith Mainz after about ten
months in the role. According to Page six, James Holt's
longtime counterpart at Archwell, vice President Shawn A. Knapp, is
not a full time employee and has been working on
a consultant basis. The outlet says that following Holt's departure,
(01:50):
Archwell Philanthropies had effectively been reduced to just Halt and Knapp,
and sources now claim the foundation has been essentially shuttered.
One industry source familiar with the Sussex's told Page six
anyone still there is simply an enabe. Were enarmored with
what the couple once was, not who they are today
(02:11):
from a year ago. They have decreased their staff by
at least eighty to eighty five percent. Another source said,
every time someone leaves, Harry and Meghan They say they
are staying on in some capacity, but they are never
heard from again. Shawna hasn't been a full time employee
in some time. This is crazy. They have lost their
foundation in a matter of weeks. On the production side,
(02:32):
page six notes that only a handful of staff remained.
Chanelle Sine continues as head of Unscripted alongside producer Tracy Ryerson. However,
sources say the future of the team depends heavily on
whether Megan's Netflix series With Love Meghan is renewed. One
source asked, if Meghan's Netflix show isn't picked up for
another season, then what happened to their staff? In the Telegraph,
(02:53):
Hannah Thundress writes, of all the Duke and Duchess of
Sussex's staff departures of recent years, there have been a few,
and this one will hit the hardest. In the normal world,
the departure of a senior member of staff after a
relatively long tenure would not be headline news. Mister Holt
has had good reason to seek a new challenge after
working his way to the top of the Sussex employment
(03:14):
ladder and staying there for some time. But the Sussexes
are not and never have been the normal world. His
exit is the latest in a string of staff departures
so long that there is no complete public record of them.
No one has yet coined a phrase for the exodus
of Sussex staff sussexit, but it has become a central,
unfortunate part of Prince Harry and the Duchess's public image.
(03:37):
Some have disappeared quietly, Others have issued glowing statements about
how wonderful the time with the Sussexes was and what
a wrench it was to leave. Mendana Deani, their former
chief operating officer, called them kind, decent, caring people who
am very proud to call my friends. Three days ago,
Meredith Mainz, the eleventh PR person to leave in five years,
(03:57):
said she would be pursuing a new opportunity a year
of inspiring work. However, the anonymous briefings tell a different story.
Bullying allegations filed back at the Palace by a concerned
press secretary who said the Duchess seems intent on always
having someone in her sights, have not gone away. PR
expert Nick E tells The Express from a PR point
(04:18):
of view, twenty twenty six feels like a pivotal reset
year for Megan. The appetite isn't necessarily for more from Megan,
but for clarity from her. We want to define who
she is and what her place is in the world
of celebrity. She has scatter gunned herself constantly over the
past few years, and it's not really worked. For maximum success,
she should focus on two things, consistency and credibility. That
(04:41):
means choosing one or two core areas to concentrate on.
Whether that's philanthropy, female entrepreneurship, or just being a celebrity
with a brand. She just needs to commit to it
long term without constantly reframing her narrative. The biggest win
for Megan would be to let her work speak louder
than her story. When she's at her strong longest, she's
impactful and influential, which is the lane she should stay in.
(05:05):
Royal observers speaking to Radar Online claim Prince Harry's deep
mistrust of the media can be traced back to the
very start of his relationship with Megan. Following her public
debut alongside him at the twenty seventeen in Victors Games
in Toronto, Prince Harry and Meghan appeared together publicly for
the first time at the international sporting event, walking hand
in hand and immediately drawing intense press attention. Insiders say
(05:27):
that moment marked a turning point in Harry's relationship with
the media. A Royal expert told the outlet they were
surprised by Harry's reaction to press coverage at the time,
saying we were absolutely stunned by that. I couldn't believe
he actually did it. The source pointed to the statement
Harry released shortly afterward accusing the press of crossing a lion,
and described it as an early sign of what they
called a horrific relationship with the media. Looking back, the
(05:51):
same insiders said there were perhaps a few comments in
some columns that were unkind about Meghan's background, but overall,
the vast majority of coverage around ninety nine percent, was
very positive and welcoming. The expert described Harry's response as
an instinctive effort to protect Megan, characterizing it as paranoia
that was inevitably linked to Mikel's arrival in the Royal Fault.
(06:12):
The source added, she came across as a real breath
of fresh air. I couldn't believe Harry went to the
press claiming she was being mistreated, because for the most part,
the consensus was that she wasn't and he was being
overly sensitive and paranoid. According to Inside As, that period
also saw Harry bottling up frustrations that would later surface publicly,
including his memoir Spare. One source said, from Spare and
(06:34):
everything That's happened, since it's clear Harry bottled up and
released a lot of anger and frustration. The comments come
as Harry and Meghan continued to face scrutiny over their
personal lives, including criticism of Megan's ongoing estrangement from her father,
Thomas Michael Senior. One source said, most other daughters would
be by their father's side if he was in that much,
need not just send him a letter. It's pathetic and
(06:56):
also hypocritical when it's seen in comparison with her promotion
of family friendly messages on her Netflix shows more palace
in just a moment. The Cabinet Office has been accused
of shielding the Royal family after withdrawing documents about royal
travel costs at the last moment, citing an administrative error.
(07:18):
The files released to the National Archives included material on
the death of Diana, an internal correspondence following a misaddressed
birthday telegram sent to the Queen Mother by the office
of former Prime Minister John Major. However, minutes from Number
ten dating from two thousand and four and two thousand
and five covering royal visits were pulled shortly before publication.
(07:40):
Journalists who saw the documents before they were withdrawn said
the material appeared routine. The minutes included references to overseas
trips by Prince Andrew during his time as a UK
Trade Envoy. Those minutes reportedly discussed allocating an additional ninety
thousand pounds in public funds to cover the form at
Duke of York's foreign travel while he served as a
(08:00):
UK Trade Envoy. The material was later withheld under what
was described as a legal exemption connected to the royal family.
The decision has prompted accusations of a coverer. Graham Smith,
chief executive of the anti monarchy campaign group Republic, said
there should be no royal exemption at all. But this
exemption surely doesn't apply to Andrew now he's no longer
a royal. The Royals have sought to keep everything under
(08:23):
wraps when it comes to Andrew, not to protect him,
but to protect themselves. Jimmy News also weighed in, reporting
that the decision to withhold the Andrew Mountbatten wins of
files had sparked fury and arguing that continued secrecy could
not be justified following his removal from official royal duties.
The release also revisited a material relating to the death
of Diana, Princess Wales, much of which had already been
(08:45):
made public in two thousand and five under the Freedom
of Information Act. Newly available papers include an account by
Briton's then ambassador to France, Michael Jay, but also confirmed
that Downing Street refused to release details of a phone
call between Tony Blair and French President Jacques Shirac, arguing
that such conversations were confidential and not in the public interest. Separately,
(09:09):
the files reveal an episode from nineteen ninety four in
which Number ten was forced to apologize after a birthday
telegram to the Queen Mother was incorrectly addressed. John Major's
office blamed British Telecom for the error, while the Queen
Mother herself later responded with thanks, appearing unconcerned by the mistake.
For now, the files will remain unavailable to the public,
further fueling debate over transparency, public funding, and the extent
(09:34):
to which the royal family continues to receive special treatment
under government disclosure rules. And there I haven't. If you'd
like to email us addresses the Palace intrig at gmail
dot com. Please followus on Spotify, Apple or the app
of your choice, and you can find us on Facebook
and Instagram and leave us a nice review. If you're
enjoying the show and Mark frantis my thanks to John McDermott.
This is balanced intrigue in good times
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