The Real Reason Meghan & Harry’s Publicist Quit After the ‘Final Straw’ as They’re Accused of Being the ‘Bosses From Hell’
StyleCaster Editors
When it comes to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, two narratives have taken hold that people always gravitate to: the allegations that their marriage is in trouble, or for some, even a PR stunt—even if at that point, that’s way past the point of ridiculous, and the allegations that Markle, or both, are bad bosses. These two things continue to raise interest, no matter what the two do and no matter how much time passes. When it’s not one, it’s the other.
Now, it’s all coming back to the spotlight thanks to the fact that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have lost yet another publicist, Meredith Maines. Maines reportedly resigned after the drama between the Sussexes and the Kardashians, but she is staying through the new year to help with the transition.
Related: Here’s what each royal inherited from Queen Elizabeth
News that Maines was departing as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s chief communications officer of Archewell Philanthropies was announced Friday, with Page Six reporting the Kardashian drama was the “final straw” for her.
A source also told Page Six that people close to the royal family thought Harry and Markle’s appearance at the party was “so tacky.”
“It truly shows that Harry is so far removed from the rest of the family. These people may be stars in America, but the pure ostentatiousness is at odds with what Prince William is trying to do with his life and the monarchy,” the insider said.
After the party, both Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner shared pictures with the couple, and then were reportedly asked to take them down by Harry and Meghan. “They don’t want to piss off the royal family while they are trying to reconcile,” a source said at the time.
Maines was the head of PR for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and had been working for them since January. Though her job dealt mainly with the company, reports indicate she had to deal with the public backlash of the Kardashian drama. A source close to Maines told Page Six, “She’s unflappable, and does not complain … she really enjoyed her time there, but at a certain point it’s time to go.”
All of this comes after Rob Shuter reported that Markle and Prince Harry are “the bosses from hell,” with the gossip columnist saying the two routinely ignore their own experts. “They’d ask for strategy, then scrap it if it didn’t match Meghan’s instincts or Harry’s mood,” one ex-staffer reportedly said.
But that’s not all, as Markle, in particular, reportedly obsesses over details. “Nothing was ever final,” one insider said. “Emails would come back at 2 a.m., changing a single adjective — then changing it back the next day,” and the two have issues with adjudicating blame.
“You’re praised until the moment something goes wrong,” a former aide claimed. “Then you’re quietly pushed out.”
Reportedly, it’s gotten to the point where finding new employees is getting hard. “Top-tier talent won’t touch the job anymore,” one source said. “Everyone asks how long the last person lasted,” with one source even bluntly saying, “It’s not bad luck. It’s bad leadership.”
