She is the newest member of the Sussex Survivors Club, having become the 11th publicist in five years to leave Prince Harry and Meghan’s employ.
Fevered speculation swirls over the circumstances of her departure, especially given claims the couple are notoriously difficult to work for.
Now, I can reveal the decision by PR chief Meredith Maines to step down from overseeing Archewell Philanthropies’ communications has sparked a furious spin war.
For while some say she left under a dark cloud after the bungled handling of a celebrity birthday celebration, others claim she has gone out on a high, having achieved her goal of reuniting Harry with the King in September.
Early last month, rumours raged of an ugly rift between Meghan and ‘momager’ to the Kardashian clan Kris Jenner, 70, after Ms Jenner removed a photo of the Sussexes from her birthday Instagram post.
Journalists across the pond were immediately briefed by the Sussexes’ team, and told that Meghan, 44, and Harry, 41, had signed a ‘no photo’ consent form ahead of attending the star–studded birthday bash.
Sources close to the Kardashian matriarch strongly denied there had been any forms and said that they had taken them down after a ‘request’.
The Sussexes then denied that they had asked for the images to come down. Like many of these tense celeb briefing spats, the row appeared, at some point, to fizzle out, rendering the whole episode a bit of a storm in a teacup.
Not, however, for Ms Maines, sources claim. For, fuelling rumours that her departure from Archewell, previously known as the Archewell Foundation, was less than triumphant, The Mail on Sunday can reveal that although the news of her leaving was announced on Friday evening, she actually resigned in mid–November – just days after the Kris Jenner saga exploded.
The decision by PR chief Meredith Maines (pictured) to step down from overseeing Archewell Philanthropies’ communications has sparked a furious spin war
Ms Maines was seen meeting the King’s press secretary, Tobyn Andreae, in July, a move which is believed to have paved the way for Harry to briefly see his father
When this newspaper asked Ms Maines in late November if she had left the Sussexes she described it as a ‘ridiculous’ suggestion. Ridiculous indeed.
One source close to the Sussexes told me: ‘Her tenure has been an absolute disaster. If she did in fact quit then she’s getting out to save face before it gets worse… She’s telling others that she is helping with the transition but this does not scream amicable to me.’
Another source told me previously: ‘When anything negative comes out, someone has to pay. It is a miserable and impossible job. Meghan will get disappointed by one thing and then ice someone out. She will never let you live it down or forget how you let her down and neither will Harry.’
She’s the eleventh publicist to go since the couple relocated to the US five years ago. A further three employees at Archewell are losing their jobs in early 2026.
Commenting on Ms Maines’ departure, a spokesman for the Sussexes said: ‘Meredith Maines and Method Communications have concluded their work with Archewell. The Duke and Duchess are grateful for their contributions and wish them well.’
Hardly effusive. But for Ms Maines’ supporters, her recusal from the Sussexes is a natural career move. With her departure planned for mid–January, it will mark almost a year of working for the couple.
One source said: ‘She really enjoyed her time there but at a certain point it is time to go… They begged her to stay to manage the transition of Archewell Foundation and other transitions. She stayed to do that.
‘Meredith feels that she has done what she set out to do. She launched the show and the brand and the website. She also got Harry to meet with his father in September, which was a priority that they set out to achieve.’
Ms Maines is the 11th publicist in five years to leave Prince Harry and Meghan’s (pictured) employ
Ms Maines was seen meeting the King’s press secretary, Tobyn Andreae, in July, a move which is believed to have paved the way for Harry to briefly see his father.
Yet by October, sources were indicating that Ms Maines was enduring a ‘difficult’ time as Chief Communications Officer.
Meghan’s surprise trip to Paris to attend a fashion show was derailed after she posted a video to Instagram which showed her being driven at night along the Seine – the route taken by Princess Diana the night she died.
‘Word is that Meredith is a sitting duck, and is being iced out,’ one source said after the event.
For Ms Maine, there are no hard feelings towards the Sussexes – at least publicly.
She said: ‘After a year of inspiring work with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Archewell, I will be pursuing a new opportunity in 2026. I have the utmost gratitude and respect for the couple and the team, and the good they are doing in the world.’
