Just when things seemed to finally be getting back on track as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry prepare to welcome their royal baby to the world – this happens.
Following from a slew of reports in late 2018 pertaining to Meghan’s rather strict way of doing things, a new report has claimed the pregnant 37-year-old is about to lose a third key staff member – this time her right-hand woman and private secretary Amy Pickerill.
Meghan’s right-hand woman Amy Pickerill (right) is reportedly quitting her royal gig. (Images: Getty)
According to the Daily Mail, Pickerill “is leaving”, which is “very sad for her colleagues, as she is a really popular member of staff,” a royal source told columnist Richard Eden.
The news comes as a shock given Amy was “handpicked” to work for Meghan as her private secretary just last year.
It is understood she will leave just after Meghan and Harry move to Frogmore Cottage this month as they prepare to welcome their first child.
The publication claimed Amy would be leaving the royal household altogether to relocate overseas.
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A friend of Amy said she had a warm relationship with the royal, explaining, “She has agreed to stay on to help them with the birth of the baby and organise their new household, but will then move on.”
Amy helped in organising various aspects of Meghan’s life. This including helping to arrange her charity projects such as the now-published cookbook, Together: Our Community Cookbook, which was developed with women who were affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
It was even touted that Amy would replace Samantha Cohen, who is Meghan’s main private secretary and has spent the last 17 years working with the royal family.
Meghan and Harry have lost three key staff members in a matter of months. (Image: Getty)
This marks the third key staffer for Meghan to quit in the last few months – in November reports emerged that Meghan’s PA Melissa handed in her notice despite the seemingly glamorous gig.
“It’s a real shock. Why would she want to leave such a prestigious job so soon?” An insider told Eden at the time.
It was then revealed that Samantha Cohen was also resigning after having landed the job of the Sussex’s private secretary back in April, ahead of the royal wedding.
And while it’s no secret the royal wedding in itself would have been an overwhelmingly big event to arrange, reports claim that things were made all the more difficult by some of the demands coming from the Duchess.
In news that sent tongues wagging across the world, other reports claimed Meghan went so far as to make her sister-in-law Kate Middleton cry during a bridesmaid’s fitting with her daughter Princess Charlotte.
It’s unclear exactly what caused the Duchess to burst into tears, but The Daily Beast claimed Kate and Meghan had an argument over Charlotte’s dress.
An insider told the UK’s Telegraph: “Kate had only just given birth to Prince Louis and was feeling quite emotional.”
Kate and Meghan reportedly fell out during a bridesmaid’s fitting ahead of the royal wedding. (Image: Getty)
Around the same time, reports that the Sussexes would be moving to their own private residence of Frogmore Cottage surfaced, something that made many question whether there was tension between Meghan and Kate, extending to Harry and William.
And in February, respected Sunday Times royal correspondent Roya Nikkhah claimed that the two couples would part ways formally to create separate courts.
This division comes after a 10-year shared household between the brothers.
“[The] William and Harry double-act has naturally been supplanted by the two couples and their families. They have become different people with different outlooks on life. Splitting the household is the obvious thing to do,” an insider said.
