Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s longtime Archewell PR rep starts own firm following slew of staffer exits
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s longtime publicist, Ashley Hansen, is leaving the Sussexes’ company Archewell to launch her own consulting firm, Page Six has learned.
A source tells us that the well-respected PR rep stepped down Thursday after working for the Duke, 40, and Duchess of Sussex, 43, for more than two years.
Hansen had been working under the royal couple as their global press secretary and head of communications. Kyle Boulia, Harry and Markle’s official press secretary, reported to her.
Despite her exit, Hansen will continue to work with Harry and Markle, as she it taking on the prince and “Suits” alum as part-time clients at her Los Angeles-based consulting firm, Three Gate Strategies.
The PR guru will continue to represent and advise the Sussexes, as well as provide oversight to their international communications team.
Her new company will also focus on communications and brand management for other distinguished individuals and organizations.
We’re also told Hansen did not leave her full-time role at Archewell for any nefarious reasons.
“We are so proud of Ashley, especially as a female entrepreneur,” Markle says on behalf of her and Harry.
“We look forward to having her focused expertise on our business and creative projects and her continued oversight of our communications team. My husband and I are excited to be alongside Ashley as she builds something extraordinarily special with her firm.”
Hansen, for her part, adds, “I am incredibly grateful to The Duke and Duchess for their continued trust.
“Their unwavering support and belief in my new firm has been meaningful and is a testament to their leadership. I knew when they first hired me that they were giving me the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn’t be happier to continue working together.”
Despite the kinds words, Hansen is the 19th person to quit working for the Sussexes in a full-time capacity in recent years, sparking further questions about the work environment the couple provides.
The 18 other people that have left have included production manager Bennett Levine, head of marketing Fara Taylor, head of content Ben Browning and several others.
Josh Kettler, who left his position as chief of staff in August after just three months, reportedly “wasn’t comfortable” with some of the aspects of his role.
“He thought it was better to leave now than to continue in a job that he did not enjoy,” a source told the Daily Mail at the time.
Staffers reportedly have conflicting opinions on what it’s like to work for the Sussexes.
“There definitely were bad, very bad, even psycho moments. I witnessed people being chewed up in person and over the phone and made to feel like s–t,” an aide told the Daily Beast last month.
“But it was an incredibly fraught time and I’m inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt. She has said herself she was suicidal at times.”
Another source who worked with Markle prior to her lavish May 2018 wedding added to the outlet, “She is lovely when it is all going her way but a demon when the worm turns.”
Ex-chief of staff Catherine St-Laurent, who has remained close with the Sussexes, claimed to the Daily Mail, though, “The time I spent working with Prince Harry and Meghan was incredibly meaningful to me.”
