Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s chief of staff, Josh Kettler, has reportedly resigned after just three months in the position.
Kettler, who is based in Santa Barbara, joined the Sussex team in early May, just a week before Harry and Meghan’s trip to Nigeria. He was brought on earlier this year with the belief that he was the ideal candidate to ‘guide’ Harry through his next phase. However, having been hired on a trial basis, the decision to part ways was mutual, with both sides agreeing that it ultimately wasn’t the right fit.
The Daily Mail reported that Kettler was set to accompany the couple on their upcoming four-day “quasi-royal tour” of Colombia, which begins on Thursday.
Francia Márquez, Colombia’s vice president and the first Black woman to hold the position, announced that the former royal couple would be visiting the country, with planned stops in Bogotá, Cartagena, and Cali.
“As the Vice President of Colombia and Minister of Equality and Equity, I am pleased to announce that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have kindly accepted my invitation to visit our beautiful country,” Márquez said in a statement.
This trip to South America will mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s second official international visit since they settled in California in 2020.
“In these vibrant locations, they will have the exceptional opportunity to engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress,” Márquez added. “In addition to these meaningful interactions, the Duke and Duchess will experience the rich heritage of Colombia.”
Before Kettler’s role with the Duke and Duchess, he served as chief of staff and head of strategic partnerships at the communication platform Cognixion. He also spent over a decade working for the outdoor clothing company Patagonia and a year at the San Francisco-based Better Place Forests. On LinkedIn, he describes himself as “an experienced executive accelerator, organizer, and confidant,” as well as a “steadfast supporter of conservation and the environment.”
Prince Harry and Meghan have faced challenges in finding the right staff fit. The Daily Mail claimed they have lost at least 18 employees since their wedding in 2018, with nine or more leaving after the couple moved to the U.S.
“What may be most telling is that the entire time I worked there, I don’t think I heard a single current or former employee on their staff say they would take the job again if given the chance,” a former staffer told the outlet.
“These aren’t employees they had just found off the streets,” the ex-employee continued. “Many of them are people who had previously excelled working for demanding bosses in high-performance companies and environments.”
