The Reason Harry & Meghan's Chief Of Staff Quit So Soon Leaves Us With More Questions

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, hired a new chief of staff a few months ago but he didn't last long. Josh Kettler, who has quite a bit of PR experience under his belt and is described on his LinkedIn as "an executive accelerator, organizer, and confidant," was hired in May to help Harry handle his upcoming endeavors. Yet, according to a source in a Daily Mail article published on August 12, he's left his position with the former senior royals. Rumor has it that the reason behind Kettler's departure is simple and doesn't indicate any bad blood. Yet, something about this latest development has us wondering what's going on behind the scenes. 

A chief of staff quitting three months after being hired seems like cause for suspicion. According to People, however, Kettler had reportedly been hired on a temporary basis. Ultimately, both parties agreed that Kettler shouldn't stay on board long-term. Yet, the timing of Kettler's exit seems unusual; it comes just days prior to the couple's tour of Colombia. In May, Kettler accompanied Harry to London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. That same month, Kettler was by Harry's side when the duke met with government officials during Harry and Meghan's three-day tour of Nigeria.

It seems likely he would have joined the duke and duchess on their upcoming Colombia trip, as well. Now, they've lost their chief of staff at the last minute. And, to make matters worse, the trip is already stirring up controversy before Harry and Meghan even arrive. So, it certainly wouldn't have hurt for the pair to have a PR expert by their side on this tour.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have had their work cut out for them when it comes to maintaining a good public image since they left their roles as working royals in 2020. Many of their moves since distancing themselves form the royal family have earned criticism, and their public engagements and visits to other countries have been no exception to this. 

In a piece for The Sun ahead of the couple's Colombia visit, controversial figure and frequent critic of the Sussexes, Piers Morgan, wrote: "Meghan and Harry aren't real royals these days. They don't do any actual duties for the institution which conferred their titles on them. ... So, what gives them the right to prance around the world pretending to be proper  royals, on quasi- official visits? There are so many things wrong about this."

Even Harry and Meghan's invitation to Colombia has sparked questions. Political scientist Mónica Pachón told The Independent that Vice President Francia Márquez may have invited the couple to tour the country because of her desire to "bring people who give her media attention" in order to bolster her image. Kettler's departure so soon before a trip where his presence will clearly be needed sparks questions about why his exit was seemingly abrupt. 

According to the Daily Mail, Josh Kettler is rumored to be one of more than a dozen employees who has quit working for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, since they tied the knot in 2018. Many of the former employees were involved with their company, Archewell, including the company's head of internal content, head of audio, and the president, who all left within a two-year span. 

In the wake of Kettler's split from the Sussexes, another former employee opened up about their experience to the Daily Mail, saying, "What may be most telling is that the entire time I worked there, I don't think I heard a single current or former employee on their staff say they would take the job again if given the chance." They added, "Many of [these employees] are people who had previously excelled working for demanding bosses in high-performance companies and environments."

Regardless of what has really prompted so many members of Harry and Meghan's staff to call it quits over the years, it's clear that the couple is struggling to retain happy employees. And, not only do they need folks who can help them with their public image; they also need folks to help their businesses run. Meghan reportedly interviewed various candidates to be CEO of her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, but has had trouble finding the right person and has yet to publicly announce a hire.