Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Chief of Staff Shockingly Quit His Job After Just 3 Months

Prince Harryand Meghan Markle’s chief of staff is the most recent employee to join what experts dubbed the “Sussex Survivors Club,” as Josh Kettler stepped down after working for the couple for only three months.

“Josh Kettler is the guy who’s meant to guide Prince Harry in particular through what was been described as the next phase of his life,” Cameron Walker told GB News.

“I have contacted their team in California and here in London and have been met with silence — but reports claim that he quit.”

“He started just a week before Harry and Meghan went to Nigeria back in May, he also accompanied Prince Harry here in London for the Invictus Games 10th anniversary service at St Paul’s Cathedral. But it’s a huge distraction,” Walker noted. “We do have an upcoming Colombia visit from the couple. And it begs the question, why is it he quit after just three months?”
According to a report, Kettler was hired on a “trial basis,” and the decision to leave was “mutual.” Though there are rumors about how Meghan and Harry have previously treated their staffers, Kettler’s decision to leave was amicable.

In April, private secretary Samantha Cohen admitted that the partners had a high employee turnover during their time in the royal fold.

“It could simply be that by virtue of the fact that they are working for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they are far more employable elsewhere and can get better offers, who can pay them more money because clearly having that on your CV gives you a lot of kudos,” Walker stated.

“Or it could be something about perhaps the working with the characters of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” the commentator added.

When the couple — who was invited to the South American nation by Vice President Francia Márquez to discuss the effects of cyberbullying — visit Colombia in the fall, all eyes will be on them and how they treat their staff.

“Everyone is harking back to what happens when Harry and Meghan left as working members of the royal family, and the fallout from various ex-members of Kensington Palace staff who have spoken to various papers about their time and their experience of working for Harry and Meghan,” Walker stated.

“But it’s a huge challenge for their remaining staff to try and put a lid on this ahead of their Colombia tour, which clearly they are going to want to be pushing forward the narrative,” he added. “It’s meant to be all happy and nice, and an unofficial royal tour shining a light on online security for children, which clearly it won’t be because we’re talking about an ex-staff member who’s left a big shock.”

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OK! previously reported leaked email correspondence revealed staffers claimed they were “bullied out of the household,” presumably by Meghan, who was then “targeting female members of staff.”

One of these royal aides went on to say that the idea of coming into work with the former actress made her “feel sick.”

But a spokesperson for Meghan shut down the assertion in 2021.

“Let’s just call this what it is — a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation,” a statement from the Sussexes’ spokesperson read. “We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. It’s no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years.”

People reported on Kettler’s exit.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were accused of mistreating staffers while in the royal family.MEGA
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were accused of mistreating staffers while in the royal family.MEGA © OK Magazine (AU)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the royal fold in 2020.MEGA
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the royal fold in 2020.MEGA © OK Magazine (AU)
Meghan Markle was accused of bullying staffers during her time as a working duchess.MEGA
Meghan Markle was accused of bullying staffers during her time as a working duchess.MEGA © OK Magazine (AU)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had a high employee turnover rate while in the U.K.MEGA
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had a high employee turnover rate while in the U.K.MEGA © OK Magazine (AU)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are traveling to Colombia.MEGA
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are traveling to Colombia.MEGA © OK Magazine (AU)
Related video: ‘It wasn’t the right fit’: Prince Harry’s chief of staff has quit after just three months (Bang Showbiz Video)

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Anger as taxpayer-funded payoffs for civil servants shoot upto £134m
Story by David Churchill Chief Political Correspondent
• 5h • 4 min read

‘Golden goodbye’ payouts to civil servants have soared despite promises of a crackdown, figures have revealed.

A total of £134million in exit packages were lavished on departing officials at seven Whitehall departments last year, an audit found.

This is up from £92.6million at the same departments the year before – a jump of 45 per cent.

The figure includes £14million for officials at the Department for Work and Pensions, which is stripping pensioners of their cold weather fuel payments this winter.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) blew £22.6million on ‘golden goodbyes’ for 591 staff – an almost 500 per cent rise on the £4million it spent the year before.

One of its bureaucrats received an exit package worth between £350,000 and £400,000. It comes after claims that soldiers, who start on salaries of about £25,000, are being forced to go without vital kit and live in mould-infested homes.
Last year, the Treasury promised a crackdown on bumper severance payments and to make the process more ‘rigorous’.

The payout figures come as many civil servants continue to refuse to go into the office for more than a day or two a week. Instead, they are being allowed to work from home the rest of the time.

The previous Conservative government told officials to spend at least 60 per cent of their time in the office.

Labour has so far refused to lay out a policy on the issue and some Cabinet ministers have suggested they will relax the requirement.

The audit, carried out by pressure group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, found that, in total, of the seven Government departments which have published accounts, £134.5million worth of exit packages were spent on civil servants and officials at taxpayer-funded bodies linked to them, such as quangos.

This means payouts were on average £44,611, up from £41,259 the year before. Eighty-eight were over £100,000, including 13 that were more than £150,000.

Less than half of government departments have published their accounts for last year so the overall figure will be much higher.

The audit relates to staff who left the Home Office, Treasury and Foreign Office as well as the Work and Pensions, Education, Defence and Transport departments, along with publicly-funded bodies linked to them.

In total, 11 officials at the cash-strapped MoD left with six-figure exit payouts, including three for more than £150,000. It refused to say who got the payout for up to £400,000.

Its payout bill was second only to the Department of Transport, which handed out £80million to 1,593 staff, compared to £38million spent the year before. It includes 70 six-figure severance packages, with nine worth over £150,000.

Former pensions minister Baroness Altmann, who served in David Cameron’s government, said: ‘These kind of payments will stick in the craw of pensioners trying to survive on tiny amounts of money and seeing people who not only will have the state pension, but also a nice public sector pension on top, who don’t seem to understand the hardship that this kind of decision to take away winter fuel payments is inflicting on pensioners.’

Dennis Reed, from campaign group Silver Voices, said: ‘It compounds the feeling that we’re at the very bottom of the list in terms of political priorities.’

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last month that 10million pensioners would lose their cold weather payments from this winter, which are worth up to £300 a year. She said this is necessary to help fill a £22billion ‘black hole’ in the public finances which she claims was left by the Conservative government.

The audit figures also show that the number of civil servants grew by 23,060 to 542,840 last year, while the number on salaries of £100,000 or more increased from 2,045 to 2,915. This is despite efforts by the Conservatives to reduce the civil service headcount.

Elliot Keck, from the TaxPayers’ Alliance, which has been calling for a £95,000 cap on civil service exit payments, said: ‘Taxpayers are fed up with seeing their own budgets stretched while pen-pushers are laughing all the way to the bank.’ Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: ‘At a time of difficulty and hardship for everyone struggling with the cost of living, this seems like a surprising use of taxpayers’ money.

‘The new government should review the scale of these exit payments with a view to capping them lower than they currently are.’

A spokesman for the Government said: ‘The Chancellor has been clear she will bear down on waste and improve efficiency after inheriting a £22billion black hole in the public finances from the previous Government.

‘That includes civil servant exit payments. Exit payments are usually determined by a person’s contractual rights and, for exceptional cases, there is a robust scrutiny process.’

Read more
Anger as taxpayer-funded payoffs for civil servants shoot upto £134m
Anger as taxpayer-funded payoffs for civil servants shoot upto £134m
A total of £134million in exit packages were lavished on departing officials at seven Whitehall departments last year (pictured: Ministry of Defence)
A total of £134million in exit packages were lavished on departing officials at seven Whitehall departments last year (pictured: Ministry of Defence)
This is up from £92.6million at the same departments the year before – a jump of 45 per cent (pictured: The Department for Work and Pensions)
This is up from £92.6million at the same departments the year before – a jump of 45 per cent (pictured: The Department for Work and Pensions)
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last month that 10million pensioners would lose their cold weather payments from this winter (file image)
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last month that 10million pensioners would lose their cold weather payments from this winter (file image)
The audit figures also show that the number of civil servants grew by 23,060 to 542,840 last year (pictured: early morning view of traditional Government buildings along Whitehall)
The audit figures also show that the number of civil servants grew by 23,060 to 542,840 last year (pictured: early morning view of traditional Government buildings along Whitehall)
Expand article logo Continue reading
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Downing Street is expected to hold a Cobra emergency response meeting this morning after hundreds of far right thugs were arrested in riots which saw attacks on police and buildings set alight on the sixth day of escalating disorder. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed rioters would ‘regret’ engaging in ‘far-right thuggery’ and promised those involved in unrest would ‘face the full force of the law’ as he addressed the nation on Sunday.
Monday’s meeting is due to involve relevant ministers and police representatives who will discuss the response in the coming days to ensure Britain is brought back from the edge of nationwide chaos. Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly said this week’s violence is ‘clearly far-right extremism’ that is ‘driven by racism’ and said he would have called a Cobra meeting sooner.

Downing Street is expected to hold a Cobra emergency response meeting this morning after hundreds of far right thugs were arrested in riots which saw attacks on police and buildings set alight on the sixth day of escalating disorder. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed rioters would ‘regret’ engaging in ‘far-right thuggery’ and promised those involved in unrest would ‘face the full force of the law’ as he addressed the nation on Sunday.
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