Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle latest Royals to lose trusted staff, here's what we know

If becoming the Princess of Wales wasn’t a scary enough responsibility as it is, Kate Middleton has had to navigate her new position within the Royal Family without her most senior aide. On the other side of the pond, the executive producer of Meghan Markle’s podcast Archetypes has stepped down as head of audio at Archewell.

Kate Middleton is hiring

The Telegraph revealed that shortly after the Queen’s death, Kate’s private secretary, Hannah Cockburn-Logie, resigned. She was one of the Duchess’s most trusted advisors and her ‘right-hand woman’.

The Duchess of Cambridge hired Cockburn-Logie in May 2020, after forming a relationship during the Cambridge’s tour of India and Bhutan in 2016. At the time, Cockburn-Logie was a diplomat working for British High Commission in India.

Her job was to ensure that Kate’s day ran smoothly. Some of her tasks included coordinating the Princess’s mail, organising Royal engagements, briefing Kate on dignitaries or officials she might be meeting, and accompanying her to any public meetings.

During her time as Kate’s private secretary, she has guided the now Princess of Wales through some of the most ‘turbulent periods of recent royal history’. Indeed, she was at the Princess’ side during the entirety of the pandemic, helped guide her through the fallout of the Sussexes exit from Royal life and a Caribbean tour that was criticised for its ‘colonial overtones’.

A Kensington Palace source said:

Hannah is a fantastic, dynamic leader. Loyal and a skilled diplomat.

Cockburn-Logie stepped down from her role as private secretary and as director of The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales ‘for personal reasons’.

The loss of such a senior aide will likely come as a blow to the Princess of Wales as she faces yet another turbulent time with the impending release of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s reveal-all documentary.

The palace is advertising for a new private secretary. In the meantime, Kate’s assistant private secretary, Natalie Barrows, has stepped up to the role.

The latest in a string of resignations

Rebecca Sananes, head of audio at Archewell since July 2021, stepped down after just 18 months in the role. It comes after the final episode of Meghan’s podcast, Archetypes, for which she was executive producer. One source told The Telegraph that Sananes was only hired to produce the podcast, and as such, her ‘transition was always intended’.

Mandana Dayani, who ran Archewell for less than 18 months, has also stepped down from her role as president and will not be replaced. According to a spokesperson for the company, Dayani was hired whilst the Duchess was on maternity leave, and now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex intend to take ‘full lead’ of their company.

The spokesperson said:

Her transition was mutually planned, with intent for the Duke and Duchess to now take full lead of their company.

Then added:

Ms Dayani is fully supportive of the Duke and Duchess in their new leadership roles, and they remain friends.

However, the timing of their departure is less than ideal, what with the impending release of their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan and Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare.

Read more:

⋙ Prince William and Kate Middleton's US trip is being overshadowed by controversy

⋙ Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 'hot water' for allegedly violating late Queen Elizabeth's privacy

Sources used:

- The Telegraph: Duke and Duchess of Sussex lose another senior aide

- The Telegraph: Catherine loses loyal top aide just before new role as Princess of Wales

- The Mirror: Kate Middleton lost her 'right hand woman' just before becoming Princess of Wales