Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have encountered yet another staffing challenge with the departure of a senior advisor from Archewell, their nonprofit organization founded in 2020.
Christine Schirmer, who initially joined as communications director in the same year and later transitioned to senior advisor in 2021, is the latest to leave. Schirmer is moving on to a new role at the public relations firm Brunswick Group, reported GB News.
Since their marriage in 2018, the Sussexes are reported to have lost at least 18 staff members, with nine or more departing after the couple relocated to the U.S. in 2020.
Earlier this month, Josh Kettler, who served as their Chief of Staff, also left his role just three months after being hired. Kettler, who had accompanied Prince Harry on his recent visit to the UK in May, was initially brought on to help guide Harry through his “next phase.”
Although early reports suggested that Kettler had quit, a U.S. publication close to the couple clarified that his departure was a mutual decision, as both parties agreed he wasn’t the right fit after a trial period.
The pair have have lost several employees since making the move across the pond, with one former worker telling The Daily Mail: “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.
“These aren’t employees they had just found off the streets.
“Many of them are people who had previously excelled working for demanding bosses in high-performance companies and environments.”
The pair are also still searching for a CEO for the Duchess of Sussex’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. It was launched earlier this year, but so far, no products have been put on sale.
Meghan has not been fruitful in her search for someone to head up the firm, with a source claiming this is due to the couple’s demanding style of management.
The source told Closer: “The brutal reality is Harry and Meghan are the toughest of taskmasters, they are very demanding and difficult to work for, and that puts a lot of people’s backs up.”
