The thing I don’t understand about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s staffing decisions is: why does the British media care? Harry and Meghan are operating a foundation AND many commercial ventures, all in California. Why does anyone need to know anything about their staff at this point? I understand why this was a (trumped-up) story during the Sussexes’ time in the UK. But five years later, why are British reporters still trying to make a meal out of staffing decisions of a private American foundation and business? In any case, Prince Harry’s chief of staff has left Archewell after three months on the job. Richard Eden at the Mail reported that the guy, Josh Kettler, worked for Harry and Meghan (wrong) and that the guy quit (also wrong). The Sussexes’ team briefed this to People Mag:
Prince Harry and his new chief of staff have parted ways. The Duke of Sussex’s chief of staff, Josh Kettler, has left his position after three months, PEOPLE understands. Hired on a trial basis, the decision to part ways was mutual, with both sides agreeing it wasn’t the right fit.
Kettler, who started in his role just a week before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s official visit to Nigeria in May, also accompanied the Duke of Sussex on his trip to London to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., Kettler was previously chief of staff and head of strategic partnerships at the communication platform Cognixion.
[From People]
Sure – I believe this. I believe that the Sussexes have been shaking up their team and their comms strategy in the past year. I’ve enjoyed the change – they’re no longer letting the British media’s lies snowball into larger issues. The Sussexes are showing some fight-back and beyond that, they seem to have a new commercial focus too. Sometimes a new hire isn’t the best fit and that’s okay. After People Mag’s reporting, the Mail then followed up:
When Harry and Meghan’s outgoing chief of staff was hired just three months ago sources dubbed him as the perfect man to ‘guide’ the Duke ‘through his next phase’. But now, as the Daily Mail revealed Josh Kettering was departing from his role, insiders close to the royal couple are claiming the experienced staffer was only handed the job on a ‘trial basis’.
Mr Kettering was hired by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex earlier in May just weeks ahead of their ‘quasi-royal tour’ in Nigeria. He was pictured alongside the pair during the visit after being spotted accompanying Harry to the 10th anniversary ceremony of the Invictus Games at St Paul’s Cathedral, while Meghan stayed at home. Yet just days before the pair are due to fly out to Colombia for another so-called ‘DIY royal tour’ it was announced Mr Kettering, who was the former chief of staff of communication platform Cognixion, had left the job.
[From The Daily Mail]
“Yet just days before the pair are due to fly out to Colombia for another so-called ‘DIY royal tour’…” Who is calling it a DIY royal tour?? Anyway, again – why is this news in the British media? Is it because they don’t have the nerve to report on Prince William and Kate’s staffing issues? Is it because they can’t talk about the clownish and unprofessional behavior and briefings coming out of KP?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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Empfang der Stadt Duesseldorf im Vorfeld der Invictus Games im Rathaus Prinz Harry, Duke of Sussex im Portrait bei der Ankunft im Fraktionsinnenhof des Rathauses in Duesseldorf und Fans im Hintergrund zum Empfang der Gastgeberstadt Duesseldorf zu Beginn der Invictus Games 2023, Duesseldorf, 09.09.2023 Duesseldorf Nordrhein-Westfalen Deutschland *** Reception of the city of Duesseldorf in the run-up to the Invictus Games at the city hall Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex in portrait upon arrival in the caucus courtyard of the city hall in Duesseldorf and fans in the background for the reception of the host city Duesseldorf at the beginning of the Invictus Games 2023, Duesseldorf, 09 09 2023 Duesseldorf North Rhine Westphalia Germany,Image: 804083047, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO / Avalon
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Prinz Harry, Duke of Sussex, bei der offiziellen Eröffnungsfeier der Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 in der Merkur Spiel Arena. Düsseldorf, 09.09.2023 NRW Deutschland *** Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, at the official opening ceremony of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 at the Merkur Spiel Arena Düsseldorf, 09 09 2023 NRW Germany Copyright: xChristophxHardtx,Image: 804311422, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Christoph Hardt / Avalon
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Invictus Games 2023 Rollstuhlbasketball 13.09.2023 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex und Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex waehrend der Siegerehrung Invictus Games 2023, Rollstuhlbasketball Finale USA – Frankreich, Duesseldorf, Merkur Spiel Arena am 13.09.2023 *** Invictus Games 2023 Wheelchair Basketball 13 09 2023 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex during the award ceremony Invictus Games 2023, Wheelchair Basketball Final USA France, Duesseldorf, Merkur Spiel Arena on 13 09 2023 Copyright:,Image: 805707474, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Wunderl / Avalon
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Invictus Games 2023 Rollstuhlbasketball 13.09.2023 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex und Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex verfolgen das Finale im Rollstuhlbasketball Invictus Games 2023, Rollstuhlbasketball Finale USA – Frankreich, Duesseldorf, Merkur Spiel Arena am 13.09.2023 *** Invictus Games 2023 wheelchair basketball 13 09 2023 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex watch the final in wheelchair basketball Invictus Games 2023, wheelchair basketball final USA France, Duesseldorf, Merkur Spiel Arena on 13 09 2023 Copyright:,Image: 805707493, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Wunderl / Avalon
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Prinz Harry, Herzog von Sussex bei seiner Rede, Closing Ceremony, am 16.09.2023 Invictus Games Duesseldorf, vom 09.09. – 16.09.2023 in Duesseldorf/ Deutschland. Â *** Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex during his speech, Closing Ceremony, on 16 09 2023 Invictus Games Duesseldorf, from 09 09 16 09 2023 in Duesseldorf Germany Â,Image: 805975484, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Anke Waelischmiller/SVEN SIMON / Avalon
Yes here in the states that is common. You get three months and if no one is happy they move on. Of course the gutter press doesn’t care about that little detail. They just want to be negative with what they spew out there.
Pretty sure it’s common in most countries (including the UK) and it’s just uncommon in those people’s brains.
I wouldn’t last 3 months working closely with anyone as hunted as these two are. I’m sure they are lovely people but I would bounce the second a Mail reporter hid in the bushes or peered in my window.
They are hiring the wrong type of person for this role. They need someone with Hill experienced who has handled Fox News and Sinclair broadcasting on the regular.
+1
Because the leftovers remains have nothing going for them.
I wonder how the Fail found out this guy left? Sounds like a mole somewhere or does phone/email hacking strike again? Hmm…..
Asked the same yesterday. Beyond the fact that they have zero reason to care, (I’m sure they don’t care about the staffing for any other celebrity in the U.S ) they make very normal boring business stuff sound like scandals as if they don’t have real companies in the UK. ARO is under threat because some paperwork needs to be refiled!!! Harry is going to be adrift doing something that he’s done numerous times for 15 years because someone that worked with him for 3 months won’t be there!! Are they ever going to get over them? The law of diminishing returns has to be hitting their clicks by now, even haters have to bored with how this thing (no really!!) this thing is going to be the thing that sinks them.
I’ve never heard of something this high profile being a 3 month tryout. Instead, I’ve heard of consultants who do a lot of consulting and then get hired after a year or so of success.
I mean, plenty of sites (ahem) report breathlessly on staffing changes for will and Kate in order to pillory them, why is this any different?
Because can’t and won’t are Tax-Payer funded. H+M are not… hope that clears it up for you.
They’re tax payer funded?! By America? No? Then why this gossip site gets so riled up mystifies me. Even if it was, the staffing will always be there. It’s the whys and where they left that gets reported on to make W&K look bad.
I don’t like them either but it’s a very obvious double standard.