Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Issue Rare Statement After Senior Aide Steps Back
The Duke and Duchess confirmed James Holt will remain an adviser as Archewell undergoes further changes.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have issued a rare statement following the departure of one of their most trusted aides, James Holt, and now there's renewed focus on a period of transition within Archewell.
The immediate trigger was Holt’s decision to relocate back to the UK after five years in California. Having worked with Harry and Meghan for nearly a decade, first as a senior communications figure and later as a key architect of Archewell, Holt confirmed that he would step away from day-to-day leadership at Archewell Philanthropies. However, both he and the Sussexes were quick to stress that this was not a clean break. Holt will remain involved as a senior adviser, particularly on overseas humanitarian work.
In a personal statement, Holt framed the move as a family decision rather than a professional one. Working with the Sussexes, he said, had been “one of the great privileges of my career,” before adding that after half a decade in Los Angeles, “it’s time for my family to return to London.” He further said, “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.”
Harry and Markle echoed the same in their own statement, which was framed as a tribute, issued shortly after news of Holt’s departure became public. Describing him as “a stellar support for us for nearly ten years,” the couple confirmed that his role would continue, albeit from across the Atlantic. “As James moves his young family back to the UK, we are proud that he will continue to guide various humanitarian trips for us overseas through Archewell Philanthropies,” they said. A spokesman later reinforced that message, confirming Holt would remain a senior philanthropic adviser and support overseas trips planned for 2026.
The announcement, however, comes against the backdrop of wider changes within Archewell. The Sussexes have recently transitioned from the Archewell Foundation to a restructured entity now known as Archewell Philanthropies.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams suggested the move reflected internal recalibration rather than collapse. Speaking to GB News, he said: “The details available indicate he is not severing ties with them but is returning to London.” He added that Archewell remains a relatively small charity, noting: “It is a very small charity; their ambitions are unfulfilled if they expected more donations.” Public filings have shown donation levels that fall short of the scale implied by Archewell’s global aspirations.
Still, Holt’s continued involvement could prove significant. Fitzwilliams pointed out that he will “remain their ‘senior philanthropic advisor’ helping to manage humanitarian trips abroad,” a role that keeps him close to the Sussexes’ most visible charitable work. A former communications professional who once worked with the Liberal Democrats, Holt moved to California to become the Sussexes’ PR chief before taking the reins at Archewell. He was a prominent voice in the couple’s 2022 Netflix series Harry & Meghan, where he spoke of what he described as a Palace effort to sideline them once their popularity surged, saying “the aim was to put them in a box or make them irrelevant.”
