Why ‘Everyone’s Getting Sacked’ Behind the Scenes by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The recent hullabaloo surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's abrupt staff exits has sparked renewed scrutiny over their alleged poor work ethic. After they rebranded their nonprofit arm from Archewell Foundation to Archewell Philanthropies, staff were reportedly fired like flies, leaving the couple down to just one aide as part of cost-cutting measures. Now, a source claiming to have unheard of information has alleged that the Sussexes let go of Archewell's executive director, James Holt, after reportedly becoming dissatisfied with his work.
In an article for the Daily Mail, a source revealed what allegedly unfolded behind the scenes around two weeks before Harry and Markle's rebranding announcement. They told The Mail's Alison Boshoff, "This is wild. Meghan and Harry are closing their Archewell charity, and everyone is getting sacked!" Following the alleged harrowing late-night call, four staffers were swiftly let go, leaving the Sussexes with just one employee at the newly renamed Archewell Philanthropies. On December 29, Holt, then just one of the two employees remaining, announced that he was stepping back from his role as executive director to return to London. However, an insider painted a different picture, telling the publication, "They [Harry and Markle] were upset with his work. They were ready to let him go."
Meanwhile, other sources deny there was any bad blood, with one saying that Harry and Markle were supportive of Holt's residency status and plans to move back. His sudden departure from the couple's US team is seen as significant. He had long been one of their closest aides, relocating to California to first serve as their PR chief before later running Archewell. Holt had also appeared in the 2022 Netflix series Harry & Meghan, where he claimed there had been a Palace conspiracy to render the Sussexes irrelevant. Now, with him gone, Shauna Nep remains the 'last man standing', alongside her other professional commitments, working with celebrity clients.
Regarding the Sussexes' alleged cost-cutting measures, sources stressed that the Duke and Duchess were planning further quasi-royal tours under Archewell Philanthropies and that their charity work would continue. Just before Christmas, Archewell released its annual financial accounts, which showed that its spending was far higher than the money it gave away. It reported $5.1 million in expenses, compared with just $1.25 million distributed in grants. They also announced that it is moving to a new 'fiscal sponsor model.' This means it will no longer operate as an independent charity but will instead work under the legal structure of a sponsoring organization. The move is explained as a way for Archewell to reduce administrative costs and, as a result, employ almost no staff.
Commenting on the abrupt firings of staff, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams suggested that the move reflected internal recalibration rather than collapse. Speaking to GB News, he said, "The details available indicate he [Holt] 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."