Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are creating their own 'royal' household structure as they permanently separate their professional lives.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped down as senior royals in 2020, have dramatically revamped their staff structure to mirror the hierarchical system that has underpinned the monarchy for decades.
The couple will each have their own chief of staff as part of this new arrangement, which represents a significant shift from their previous reliance on informal advisers.
At the helm of this new operation will be Meredith Kendall Maines, a seasoned communications strategist whose role has drawn comparisons with Sir Clive Alderton, the Private Secretary to King Charles and Queen Camilla. She will lead a team of 11 staff operating out of Montecito, California, and the UK.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are creating their own 'royal' household structure as they permanently separate their professional lives.
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This restructuring will operate separately from Archewell, the Sussexes' philanthropic foundation. Each senior appointee in the new household will reportedly earn a six-figure salary.
The couple appear to be adopting the same trusted methods as the monarchy to build their business and philanthropic interests.
Miranda Barbot, a veteran political and media adviser who helped re-elect US President Barack Obama in 2012, will work solely for Harry.
She has been with the Sussexes since 2022 and successfully managed their three-day trip to Nigeria last year, which was reportedly "controlled skilfully".
The couple appear to be adopting the same trusted methods as the monarchy to build their business and philanthropic interests.
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Sarah Fosmo, formerly an aide to Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, will focus on supporting Meghan.
The 45-year-old's appointment was announced this month, and she will oversee what has been described as a "dynamic period of growth" for the duchess.
Prince Harry is set to launch his own as-yet-undisclosed commercial venture in the coming months.
While he will continue to focus on the Invictus Games Foundation, sources indicate he has "commercial ideas of his own" that will be revealed later this year.
A source said: "Harry is unkindly described as the 'spare' to Meghan's endeavours.
"In reality, he has been giving her the space to flourish. Now it is his time to throw himself into exciting new work. Invictus will always come first, but he has also been working on commercial ideas of his own."
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The duchess is also rolling out another series of her Netflix lifestyle show, "With Love, Meghan," and continuing to produce episodes for her podcast, "Confessions Of A Female Founder."
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One of the first tasks for the new household will be supporting Meghan's lifestyle business, As Ever, which is preparing to expand its range of products later this year beyond its already sold-out jams and teas.
The duchess is also rolling out another series of her Netflix lifestyle show, "With Love, Meghan," and continuing to produce episodes for her podcast, "Confessions Of A Female Founder."
Intriguingly, long-term aide James Holt, who featured in the couple's Heart of Invictus Netflix docuseries, will not be part of the new household but will remain in charge of Archewell.
By adopting a structure reminiscent of the royal household they left behind, the Sussexes appear to be seeking stability and credibility for their expanding empire.
The hope is that this formal hierarchical system will help safeguard their reputation while allowing them to build their separate business and philanthropic interests.
