Staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

[Jacknch]

Coat of Arms of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Welcome to the thread to discuss the Staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Please note that all posts relating to the Current Events of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should be posted in the appropriate thread.

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[Rudolph]

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex this afternoon received Mr Edward Lane Fox upon relinquishing his appointment as Private Secretary to Their Royal Highnesses.

Via Gerts Royals Twitter

 

[jacqui24]

ELF ELF ELF ELF ELF.

Ok got that out of my system. I’m going to miss that initial.

I’m really happy with the time ELF spent serving as Harry’s Private Secretary. He set up the office and helped Harry navigate life as a working royal while remaining himself. Helped turn his passion into worthy causes and projects. And of course, he’s also been said to be very instrumental to Meghan, both while they were dating and with the wedding. I could not be more pleased with how their public life during the engagement and how the wedding turned out. Huge credit to ELF!

 

[Curryong]

I second that! Thank you so much ELF. (Wonder whether future Private Secs will have such great initials?) Hope the next Private Secretary is as good. I think Edward always had Harry's back and I think they were excellent friends. Good luck in his future career.

 

[Rudolph]

An aide of Meghan’s has apparently quit.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowb...les-closest-aid-quits-job-months-wedding.html

 

[Marlo]

An aide of Meghan’s has apparently quit.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowb...les-closest-aid-quits-job-months-wedding.html

Who is Melissa? The bogus story about the tiara and now this. I am sorry but I think it's a smear campaign against Meghan.

 

[Osipi]

Of course, if anyone were to quit such a "prestigious" job such as working for The Duchess of Sussex, the blame would be put on Meghan. Never mind that people do quit their jobs for personal reasons of their own such as marriage, pregnancy, family responsibilities and need to relocate and a bazillion other good reasons.

This article was written solely to smear Meghan as Marlo stated and I'm in agreement with that. Its what the tabloids do. Its what they feed on. Its why they're not worth paying attention to. Its why they are best served to line bird cages and collect what they print.

 

[Curryong]

Yes the venom is fairly dripping off the page. And who Melissa is, God knows. Meghan's Private Secretary is Samantha Cohen. The Assistant PS is Amy Pickerell, so describing this person as 'Meghan's closest aide' is more than a bit of an exaggeration! The Fail never allows the facts to get in the way of a good jab at Meghan, however.

 

[jacqui24]

Richard Eden also falsely accused Mulroneys of accepting a free Jaguar last week. Jessica and Ben unequivocally denied it when the story came out.

 

[Marlo]

Richard Eden tweeted Dan Wootton last night.

@richardaeden: Wasn't this in our serialisation of @theroyaleditor's book last week?

@DanWootton: No it wasn’t. Although I read every word of that and it’s a brilliant book.

@richardaeden: Great story

So Richard fabricated the personal assistant story. Disgusting.

 

[jacqui24]

Btw, didn’t we just have the very opposite reporting from the same publications from those tabloids not too long ago in regards to the Duchess of Sussex before? Where she was accused, in a negative tone, about being too close to staff? Now she’s, in the same negative tone, too bitchy to them? GMAFB.

 

[jacqui24]

One more thought, I highly doubt a PA would be left to deal with the Thomas Markle situation instead of all Private Secretary, Assistant Private Secretaries, and Communications staff. Even the task of picking up Doria from the airport was handled by Amy Pickerill personally.

 

[W.Y.CII]

I am really tired of these jokes from DF. Not even worth to discuss. But still some people would sadly take DF seriously.

 

[MARG]

Just a thought folks, is it possible that the mysterious Melissa is in fact, Samantha Cohen? If I remember correctly there was "a tiff at the Palace" and HM's Private Secretary, Sir Christopher Geidt, resigned in high dudgeon and Samantha resigned in solidarity. However, HM persuaded her to stay to help get the Sussexes, and in particular Meghan, successfully launched for their first of six months?

If it is Samantha, her leaving has been in the works for since July 2017.

 

[JuliannaVictoria]

Just a thought folks, is it possible that the mysterious Melissa is in fact, Samantha Cohen? If I remember correctly there was "a tiff at the Palace" and HM's Private Secretary, Sir Christopher Geidt, resigned in high dudgeon and Samantha resigned in solidarity. However, HM persuaded her to stay to help get the Sussexes, and in particular Meghan, successfully launched for their first of six months?

If it is Samantha, her leaving has been in the works for since July 2017.

BINGO!!! You hit the nail on the head. DM just stirring the pot because they have nothing else better to do with their time and energies.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

BINGO!!! You hit the nail on the head. DM just stirring the pot because they have nothing else better to do with their time and energies.

The Daily Mail has also thrown Edward Lane Fox's resignation into the story too, even though his leaving was announced Summer 2017.

 

[Zaira]

The DM has at least SEVEN stories on the Sussexes right now on its online front page. Insanity!

To insinuate that ELF's leaving is because of Meghan, as they are, is so shady and I hope Harry files an IPSO complaint. ELF announced he was leaving well over a year ago and there were rumors he was leaving before that even because of his wife's rumored health issues.

Sam Cohen was always supposed to stick around for 6 months only. Again, the DM is insinuating that there is an issue with Meghan (never Harry apparently).

 

[jacqui24]

The DM has at least SEVEN stories on the Sussexes right now on its online front page. Insanity!

To insinuate that ELF's leaving is because of Meghan, as they are, is so shady and I hope Harry files an IPSO complaint. ELF announced he was leaving well over a year ago and there were rumors he was leaving before that even because of his wife's rumored health issues.

Sam Cohen was always supposed to stick around for 6 months only. Again, the DM is insinuating that there is an issue with Meghan (never Harry apparently).

I've noticed for a long time that negative stories tend to pop up when the Sussexes, specifically Meghan, has been out of public eye for a little bit. It used to be the case with the Markle stories. I suppose they have to come up with something to generate clicks if there is nothing else they can write about Meghan.

 

[Curryong]

Who is the mysterious Melissa? A phantom? She's not among senior staff listed as working at KP. She can't be Samantha as the DM is saying that Sam is the second to leave, along with ELF, both of whom were going to leave anyway.

British tabloids IMO have stored these stories up for when the Sussexes came back from their successful tour. It's disgusting, and imagine how disheartened Meghan, who is not used to these onslaughts must feel.

 

[MARG]

Well, whoever the mysterious Melissa is, according to the media KP have broken with tradition and said she was the best thing since sliced bread was invented and they'll miss her. Has anyone found that press release? ROFL

 

[cepe]

Melissa is Melissa Crow who once worked for Madonna.

 

[Terri Terri]

Did Melissa work with Harry and Meghan?

 

[Curryong]

I heard rumours about this Melissa Crow, an American who once worked for Madonna, joining Meghan's team as a PA at KP round about April/May. However I'd almost forgotten about her. I don't think she was on the tour was she, and she wasn't exactly prominent or regarded as 'close' to Meghan?

 

[jacqui24]

I heard rumours about this Melissa Crow, an American who once worked for Madonna, joining Meghan's team as a PA at KP round about April/May. However I'd almost forgotten about her. I don't think she was on the tour was she, and she wasn't exactly prominent or regarded as 'close' to Meghan?

I don’t remember hearing about this. But if she was hired in April/May as a PA, I highly doubt she’s pivotal in handling the Thomas Markle situation. Nor did she quit due to any high demands that Meghan can come up with.

 

[Madame Verseau]

Well the Fail named Meghan's PA who quit

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowb...Markles-assistant-worked-Robbie-Williams.html

This woman has zero experience working in a royal household. She was the right hand woman of Robbie Williams. It's not the same. I wonder if she was expected to be top dog as the Duchess of Sussex's assistant and everyone reports to her - including Samantha Cohen and Amy Pickerell. Wouldn't be surprised if staff were at loggerheads and someone had to go - and it was her. The resignation and endorsement saves face.

 

[jacqui24]

Well the Fail named Meghan's PA who quit

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowb...Markles-assistant-worked-Robbie-Williams.html

This woman has zero experience working in a royal household. She was the right hand woman of Robbie Williams. It's not the same. I wonder if she was expected to be top dog as the Duchess of Sussex's assistant and everyone reports to her - including Samantha Cohen and Amy Pickerell. Wouldn't be surprised if staff were at loggerheads and someone had to go - and it was her. The resignation and endorsement saves face.

Hold on, let’s back up for a moment to work out some details. So, if I remember this whole story correctly, it was about a PA that’s quit recently after only 6 months on the job who was considered “pivotal” to the success of the wedding. Ok, so my question how DF is how is it possible a woman who started her job around the time of the wedding to be “pivotal” to anything? Unless they want to tell me with a straight face that a 600 person wedding that was televised around the world was planned in a month or so. No? Ok.

 

[Curryong]

I've never heard of this woman, and I keep a reasonably close eye on the Sussexes. Melissa was described as being 'Meghan's closest PA' when she supposedly suddenly quit, so that says a lot either about my observation skills or about tabloid hyperbole, not sure which!

 

[jacqui24]

I've never heard of this woman, and I keep a reasonably close eye on the Sussexes. Melissa was described as being 'Meghan's closest PA' when she sopposedly suddenly quit, so that says a lot either about my observation skills or about tabloid hyperbole, not sure which!

Well, she apparently also has two identities. So

 

[MaiaMia_53]

Re all the negative tab reports:

I don't happen to think staff grumbling is anything serious. There's always been reports that circulate regarding some staff and royal courtiers having issues with new members of the royal family. I'm sure there's staff who have had issues with the homegrown Windsors as well. Princess Margaret anyone? There were plenty of reports of Diana being 'difficult' too. This is nothing new.

In the beginning, it was said that Meghan was hugging everybody and needed to tone it down.

As far as Meghan being an early riser, a hardworker, and a perfectionist with ideas and high expectations for herself and those around her, cool! I think these qualities are revealing keystones that have a lot to do with Meghan's success in life, well before she met Prince Harry. Good for her, and lucky for Harry and the British royal family. Staff who can't keep up with the program, or who don't like Meghan can certainly move on.

 

[Fros]

I thought this was the most damning bit from the article.

A source said "some of the staff don't seem to want to give Meghan a chance. Harry is besotted and understandably extremely protective of her

This doesn't make anyone look good and it makes it seem like the staff aren't falling in line. There seem to be staff who don't like or accept Meghan for whatever reason and if the staff don't want to give Meghan a chance what can she do? No wonder there's leaks all over the place that put her in a negative light. It doesn't sounds like a professional environment but rather that the staff of the palace are more snobby and judgmental than the royals themselves.