Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are slashing staff like a budget-conscious CEO during a recession.
Page Six reported that the couple is cutting ties with their communications team and parting ways with several employees to save money amid financial strain and uncertainty over their lucrative Netflix deal.
Let’s rewind to 2020, when Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as working royals, triggering a revolving door of staff departures that would make even the most chaotic startup blush.
Since that dramatic exit, they’ve bid farewell to 25 staff members, with six more let go just last month, including key communications folks like Kyle Boulia and Charlie Gipson.
Now, a royal source quipped, “It’s the same old story – they cycle through staff as quickly as normal people cycle through toilet paper.” That’s a colorful way to highlight a troubling pattern, suggesting deeper issues in their management style or financial priorities.
With only Meredith Maines as chief communications officer and Emily Robinson as the other in-house rep, they’ve outsourced to Method Communications for support, a move some see as a pragmatic, if cold, cost-cutting measure.
Speaking of costs, the couple’s expenses are no small potatoes, with a reported $2 million annual security bill and a hefty $288,000 property tax on their $27 million Montecito estate.
They also shelled out a $5 million deposit on that home back in 2020, with a $9.5 million mortgage to pay off by 2050—talk about long-term planning in a world of short-term staff contracts.
Add to that the costs of their Archewell Foundation, personal office, production endeavors, estate employees, and even self-funded “faux foreign tours” to places like Nigeria and Colombia, and you’ve got a balance sheet that’s tighter than a drum.
Then there’s the Netflix deal, initially hyped at $100 million but reportedly closer to $20 million, which is up for renewal later this year with no guarantee of the same payout.
Netflix’s shift to “first look” deals over exclusive contracts could mean less cash for hits like the “Harry & Meghan” docu-series or Meghan’s upcoming second season of “With Love, Meghan” in September.
A TV producer mused, “I can see Meghan’s show coming back for a third season, easily.” But let’s be real—public fascination often fuels viewership more than quality, especially when “Heart of Invictus” and “Polo” barely made a ripple.
Meanwhile, their public image takes hits with reports of staff unrest, like a Hollywood Reporter piece claiming employees were “terrified” of Meghan, and a 2018 bullying complaint by former communications secretary Jason Knauf that remains unresolved in the public eye.
Meghan’s lawyer, Jenny Afia, defended her, saying, “What bullying actually means is improperly using power, repeatedly and deliberately to hurt someone physically or emotionally.” Fair enough, but when staff turnover is this high, and negative stories persist, it’s hard to dismiss the smoke as just a progressive media mirage.
On a personal note, Harry’s estrangement from his family continues, though he’s voiced a desire for reconciliation, especially with his father, King Charles, who’s battling cancer, saying, “I would love reconciliation with my family.”
It’s a heartfelt plea, yet one wonders if financial and PR woes will keep overshadowing these personal efforts, especially as palace plans reportedly include the Sussexes in future somber events.