Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are facing another significant staff change as their director of communications, Emily Robinson, has left her position after just four months in the role. The departure marks at least the tenth publicist to leave the Sussexes’ team since they stepped back from royal duties and moved to California in 2020.
What Happened with Emily Robinson’s Departure
Emily Robinson, who began her role as director of communications in June 2025, recently stepped down from her position working with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. A spokesperson for the couple confirmed the departure, stating that Robinson’s work was focused on specific projects that have now been completed.
The official statement from the Sussexes’ representative said: “Ms. Robinson oversaw project-based work for a very successful season of With Love, Meghan and additional support for the production company. She did an excellent job and completed these projects with great success.“
Sources indicate that Robinson left of her own accord, though the short duration of her employment has raised questions. A friend of Robinson’s commented on the situation, suggesting the working conditions may have been challenging. “It was her decision. She left a few weeks ago,” the friend revealed. “She’s not a quitter, so things must have been pretty horrible for her to go.”
Robinson’s Background and Role
Before joining Harry and Meghan’s team, Emily Robinson built an impressive career in entertainment publicity. She spent eight years at Netflix, most recently serving as Senior Director of Publicity. During her time at the streaming giant, she worked on high-profile projects including the royal drama The Crown – an interesting background given the Sussexes’ own complicated relationship with the monarchy.
Robinson’s hiring in June was seen as a strategic move to strengthen the couple’s media strategy. Her expertise in Netflix publicity aligned well with Harry and Meghan’s multi-year content creation deal with the platform. During her brief tenure, she primarily focused on Meghan’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which has released two seasons and has a holiday special scheduled for November 2025.
History of Staff Changes
This latest departure continues a pattern of staffing instability that has characterized the Sussexes’ operations since their move to the United States. Emily Robinson is reported to be at least the tenth publicist to leave Meghan’s team in the past five years.
Earlier this year, in June 2024, other team members also departed including Los Angeles-based deputy press secretary Kyle Boulia and U.K.-based press officer Charlie Gipson, both of whom had been in their roles for approximately one year. Their departures were part of broader organizational changes within Archewell, the couple’s production company.
Despite these changes, some key team members remain in place. Liam Maguire continues as director of communications in Europe, while Meredith Maines serves as the chief communications officer leading their U.S. operations. Two former publicists, James Holt and Miranda Barbot, have transitioned into non-PR roles within the organization.
Recent Projects and Public Appearances
The communications shake-up comes during a busy period for the Duke and Duchess. Meghan recently attended Paris Fashion Week for the Balenciaga show, though her social media post from the trip drew some criticism when she shared footage that some viewers noted was near the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, where Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997.
The couple also made appearances together in New York, where they received the Humanitarians of the Year award at the Project Healthy Minds’ gala. Meghan separately spoke at the Fortune Most Powerful Women summit in Washington DC, where she discussed the couple’s Netflix partnership and her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
Regarding her content creation plans, Meghan recently shared at the Fortune summit: “The holiday special is coming out in November. It’s a really good one. I do lots of gift wrapping techniques.” She also hinted at potential format changes for future content, noting “Eight episodes for two seasons—it’s a lot of work. Having done Suits for seven years, I remember what goes into a production. I also recognize how much people want content in different sizes.“
Broader Context and Past Allegations
The frequent staff turnover has revived discussions about workplace culture within the Sussexes’ organization. Previous reports have included allegations from former staff members about Meghan’s management style. In 2021, allegations surfaced that Meghan had bullied royal aides during her time as a working royal, claims which the Duchess has consistently denied.
More recently, an article in Vanity Fair featured accounts from former Archewell employees describing challenging working conditions. One ex-staffer compared the environment to a “Mean Girls teenager,” while others mentioned needing “extended breaks” or “long-term therapy” after their employment. Both Harry and Meghan have strenuously denied all allegations of poor treatment toward staff.
The couple’s current communications team continues to be led by chief communications officer Meredith Maines in the United States and Liam Maguire, who handles European communications. The remaining team faces the ongoing challenge of managing the couple’s public image amid consistent media scrutiny and the recent departure of their director of communications after only four months.
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