Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing renewed scrutiny over their communications operation after another senior aide confirmed his departure, adding to a growing list of publicists and advisers who have left the Sussex camp in recent years.
With the tally now at 12 departures in five years, and James Holt described by the Daily Mail as the sixth key publicity staff member to cut ties in 2025 alone, the scale and pace of turnover has raised fresh questions about the long-term stability of the couple's PR set-up.
A Pattern of Departures Comes Into Focus
The most recent exit is James Holt, a long-serving adviser who worked as the Sussexes' PR chief from 2019 to 2021 before taking charge of Archewell's charitable work from 2021. His departure was confirmed days after Meredith Maines announced she was leaving her role as the couple's chief communications officer, a position she has held since March 2025.
Together, the two exits have sharpened attention on what the Daily Mail described as a revolving door within Team Sussex, with some former staff even omitting their Sussex roles from LinkedIn profiles.
James Holt's Exit After Years at the Centre
Holt's departure stands out because of his long association with Prince Harry. He started working with the Duke in 2017 and followed the couple through the period when they stepped back as working royals and relocated to California. He later ran Archewell's charitable arm and appeared prominently in the Sussexes' Netflix documentary.
Statements about Holt's departure framed it as a family move back to London. A Sussex spokesperson said he will remain a senior philanthropic adviser and continue supporting Archewell, including overseas humanitarian trips in 2026.
Even so, his exit still adds to a wider pattern at a moment of transition for the couple's charitable and media work.
Meredith Maines and a Difficult Year
Maines, who joined as the Sussexes' first chief communications officer in March 2025, oversaw external communications across Archewell, Meghan's lifestyle brand As Ever, and their production and philanthropic projects.
While Maines described her departure as a planned move to a new opportunity in 2026, the Daily Mail reported that she resigned in mid-November, weeks before the announcement was made public.
Her tenure also coincided with a period of intense scrutiny, including reported controversy over meetings and celebrity-related briefing spats that drew unwanted attention.
Reshuffles, Short Stints and the 'Impossible' Job Claims
Maines' departure followed a string of other changes and exits in 2025, including Emily Robinson, who was hired in June and had left by October, and Kyle Boulia and Charlie Gipson, who departed amid a broader mid-year communications reshuffle.
The Daily Mail reported that insiders have described the Sussex PR role as 'impossible' and 'miserable', with some former staff dubbing themselves the 'Sussex Survivors Club'.
Constant Scrutiny and a Shift to Agency Support
One former Sussex communications figure has described the level of media attention around Meghan as 'presidential-level constant', saying the team monitored everything from mainstream coverage to social platforms.
In response to staffing changes, Sussex spokespeople have consistently thanked outgoing staff and wished them well. The couple have also moved towards a more traditional, agency-led communications structure, with specialist support operating across multiple time zones to handle international media demands.
As Harry and Meghan continue to expand their media, philanthropic and commercial projects, the unusually high turnover among senior communications staff remains a recurring part of their public narrative, and a sign of a communications operation working under relentless global attention.
