Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have seen a string of high-profile staff members leave their charity Sentebale in recent weeks, with the total number of employees who have quit the Sussexes now standing at 21.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, after their dramatic exit from royal duties and relocating to the US for a fresh start, quickly assembled a new team. However, they’ve developed a bit of a reputation for a high turnover of staff as they push forward with their charitable work and production projects outside of the Royal Family.

Recently, three top executives at Harry’s charity Sentebale have resigned, bringing the total number of departures up to 21. In what’s seen as a significant setback, the London-based CEO of Sentebale, which Harry co-founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, has stepped down after five years.

The Daily Mail reports that Richard Miller, 62, will not be replaced directly. Instead, Carmel Gaillard will take over as an “interim executive director” to oversee a “strategic transformation” of Sentebale from Johannesburg.

This news follows shortly after the revelation that Harry’s chief of staff left his position after a mere three months. Josh Kettler, a seasoned PR professional, joined Harry’s team in May before the Sussexes’ tour to Nigeria but departed as they were gearing up for their August working visit to Colombia.

It is believed that Kettler was on a trial period and that the decision to separate was mutual, with both parties agreeing the fit wasn’t right. These are just some of the many staff members who have parted ways with the couple in recent times…, reports the Mirror.

Prince Harry’s commitment to Sentebale, the charity he co-founded as a tribute to his late mother Princess Diana, symbolized by its name “forget-me-not,” has been unwavering. However, the organization is facing significant changes with the departure of Richard Miller, its chief executive.

Harry and Meghan stepped away from their royal duties in 2020

This follows two other high-profile exits from the charity. Baroness Chalker, an 18-year veteran on the board of trustees and former overseas development minister, has also stepped down, although she asserts through a spokesperson that her dedication to both the charity and the Duke of Sussex remains strong.

The Mail reveals that Andrew Tucker, affectionately known as “Tucks” by Prince Harry and a senior figure at Sentebale for ten years, has also left his role. On his departure, Miller commented: “It is the logical next step for Sentebale, and the time is right for this shift to local leadership. Carmel is an incredible asset to position Sentebale further as a leader in the region.”

Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, as cofounders, have embraced this transition, stating: “This shift reflects our continued commitment to being guided by voices from within the region we serve. We sincerely thank Richard for his pivotal role in steering our organisation toward this important evolution.”

This series of departures has been dubbed a royal exodus. Following their May 2018 wedding, Harry and Meghan, who were still active royals at the time, experienced a series of staff changes with several employees leaving their positions. Among those who departed were senior communications secretary Katrina McKeever, Meghan’s personal assistant Melissa Toubati, a female royal protection officer, and their assistant private secretary Amy Pickerill.

Melissa Toubati mysteriously resigned after only six months working for the Duchess of Sussex. A source revealed: “Her job was highly ­pressurized and in the end it became too much. She put up with quite a lot. Meghan put a lot of demands on her and it ended up with her in tears.”

“She is hugely talented and played a pivotal role in the success of the royal wedding. She’ll be missed by everyone in the household. Melissa is a total professional and fantastic at her job, but things came to a head and it was easier for them both to go their separate ways.”

In October 2019, their private secretary Samantha Cohen, who had previously worked for the late Queen, also left.

Valentine Low, former Times royal correspondent, claimed in his book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, that an exasperated Ms Cohen compared the job to “working with teenagers.”

In his explosive book, author Low spills the tea on the behind-the-scenes drama involving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. He recounts how Ms Cohen, who organized Harry and Meghan’s first official tour, was allegedly subjected to being “screamed at.”

A source described the situation to Low, saying, “Sam always made clear that it was like working for a couple of teenagers,” and added, “They (Meghan and Prince Harry) were impossible and pushed her to the limit. She was miserable.”

Josh Kettler was previously Chief of Staff for Prince Harry 

Catherine St-Laurent used to be the director of Archewell

Following the tumultuous period, Ms Cohen eventually left her position, despite initially agreeing to a short-term assignment.

Speaking to Australia’s Herald Sun, she explained, “I was only supposed to stay for six months but stayed for 18 – we couldn’t find a replacement for me and when we did we took them on tour to Africa with Harry and Meghan to show them the ropes but they left (quit) as well while in Africa.”

After stepping back from royal duties, Harry and Meghan’s director of communications Sara Latham also parted ways with the couple. As they embarked on their new life in the USA, the Sussexes founded their charity Archewell and made significant hires, including Catherine St Laurent as chief of staff.

However, she only served 11 months before moving on. In a chat with The Cut, she referred to her time working for Harry and Meghan as “an incredible experience.”

She further stated: “They are incredibly talented and creative leaders. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to do that, to be able to be with them on their journey. The time that I spent with them was incredibly fulfilling.”

Just a few months later, Toya Holness, the couple’s global press secretary, also departed from Archewell after just one year. Her role involved managing the Sussexes’ PR on both sides of the Atlantic.

Insiders at the time suggested she “wanted out” after finding herself “having to fulfil a great many functions for the couple”. Then in December 2022, just days before Harry and Meghan’s controversial documentary hit Netflix, Mandana Dayani, then president of Archewell, left her position after only 18 months.

It was understood that Harry and Meghan were set to assume full leadership of the organisation, and an Archewell statement made it clear there was no fallout. Meanwhile, last year, Fara Taylor, who was responsible for marketing at Archewell, also exited the organization as Harry and Meghan aimed to “streamline” staff.

However, it’s not just their charitable arm where Harry and Meghan have lost staff. They’ve also seen a significant turnover at their production company.

After signing multi-million dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify, the couple set up the production arm. But in December 2022, Rebecca Sananes, the head of Archewell Audio, left her role working on Meghan’s Archetypes podcast, which only lasted one season on Spotify before the Sussexes’ deal with the streaming giant was canceled.

Additionally, Nishika Kumble, the senior vice-president of scripted television at Archewell, departed after less than two years, followed closely by TV executive Bennett Levine, whose exit was deemed a “serious blow” as he joined a rival organization. Oscar-winning producer Ben Browning, who worked on the Netflix docu-series Harry and Meghan and led internal content, also quit.