Royal Turmoil: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Rocked by Fresh Scandal as Aide James Holt Quits Archewell — Days After Couple's Top Communications Boss Stepped Down
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just lost two key staffers within a period of three days.
Dec. 29 2025, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
The exodus continues among Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's staffers, with the couple losing their longest-serving employee, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
James Holt, who began working for the prince, 41, before he and Markle, 44, stepped down from the royal family in 2020, announced he's leaving his position as the executive director of the couple's embattled Archewell Foundation, which was recently rebranded as Archewell Philanthropies.
James Holt Began Working for Prince Harry in 2017
Holt originally began working with Prince Harry on projects to improve mental health support for British soldiers before his marriage to Markle.
"After five incredible years in Los Angeles, it’s time for my family to return to London," Holt said in a Monday, December 29 statement.
He previously worked as an aide to Harry when he was still an active working member of the royal family, starting in 2017. Holt moved to the U.S. with the prince and Markle, who launched the Archewell Foundation in April 2020, a month after their final appearance as working royals.
"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," he continued. "I’ll miss my colleagues deeply, and I’m grateful to Harry and Meghan for everything they’ve done – for me, and for the countless people we’ve worked to support."
'Humanitarian Trips' Ahead
The couple recently rebranded the Archewell Foundation into Archewell Philanthropies.
In a statement of their own, Harry and Markle thanked Holt for his "stellar support," while saying he will still have a partial hand in an upcoming venture.
"His enthusiasm and talent in overseeing our philanthropic endeavours have been extraordinary. 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," the duo shared.
James first began working with Harry in 2017 in a series of military mental health initiatives. A year later, the prince married Markle in a lavish royal wedding.
Another Publicist Quits
The former royals have gone through 11 publicists in the five years since moving to the U.S.
The loss of Holt comes hot on the heels of the couple losing their 11th publicist in the past five years.
Meredith Maines, who served for less than a year as Harry and Markle's chief communications officer, announced her departure after 10 months on the job.
"After a year of inspiring work with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Archewell, I will be pursuing a new opportunity in 2026. I have the utmost gratitude and respect for the couple and the team, and the good they are doing in the world," Maines said in a December 26 statement.
Liam Maguire, who has primarily handled and overseen Prince Harry’s P.R. as the couple's UK and Europe director of communications, will take over Maines' duties.
'Dictator in High Heels'
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Allegations that Markle bullies employees have dated back to 2018 when she was a working royal.
Markle was accused of bullying several female Kensington Palace employees while still a working member of the royal family, and her "Duchess Difficult" reputation followed her to the U.S.
In a September 2024 piece, The Hollywood Reporter exposed how workers were allegedly petrified of the former Suits actress, resulting in a massive turnover of nearly 20 stateside staffers who quit working for the Sussexes at the time of publication.
"Everyone's terrified of Meghan. She belittles people, she doesn't take advice," a source close to the couple claimed.
"They’re both poor decision-makers; they change their minds frequently. Harry is a very, very charming person – no airs at all – but he’s very much an enabler. And she’s just terrible," the insider added.
"She’s absolutely relentless,” a second source claimed about Markle's alleged penchant for noisy tantrums and angry early morning e-mails. "She marches around like a dictator in high heels, fuming and barking orders. I've watched her reduce grown men to tears."
