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Meredith Maines exits after less than a year as chief communications officer for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, with the couple not expected to hire a replacement for the role
Communications leadership will be consolidated under Liam Maguire, the Sussexes' UK and Europe director of communications
The departure comes amid continued turnover within the Sussexes' communications team, following several staff exits over the past few years
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's chief communications officer, Meredith Maines, has stepped down after roughly 10 months in the role, PEOPLE can confirm.
Maines was appointed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first chief communications officer in late February, with the couple announcing her hire on Feb. 28. She officially began the position in March and oversaw communications across the couple's nonprofit work, business ventures and broader public profile.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed the change in a statement to PEOPLE: "Meredith Maines and Method Communications have concluded their work with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The Duke and Duchess are grateful for their contributions and wish them well."
Maines also shared a statement, saying: "After a year of inspiring work with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Archewell, I will be pursuing a new opportunity in 2026. I have the utmost gratitude and respect for the couple and the team, and the good they are doing in the world."
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Maines' departure comes amid continued turnover within the Sussexes' communications team. She is one of several publicists to exit the couple's orbit since they stepped back as working royals and relocated to the United States in 2020.
A year ago, global press secretary Ashley Hansen stepped down after two years to launch her own consultancy. Earlier this summer, three communications staffers — including UK-based Charlie Gipson and California-based Kyle Boulia — also departed. Emily Robinson, who previously worked at Netflix and was appointed director of communications, left the role in October after just four months.
Maines worked in conjunction with Method Communications, the outside firm retained to support Meghan and Harry's communications efforts, and largely handled the duchess' public relations work. Liam Maguire, the Sussexes' UK and Europe director of communications, who remains in his role, has primarily overseen Prince Harry's communications.
At the time of her appointment, Maines said she was "honored to partner" with the couple and excited to help tell their story "as entrepreneurs, builders and philanthropists while overseeing all communications for the couple and their ventures."
Before joining the Sussexes, Maines worked at Google, led communications at Hulu and served as a talent manager forAmerican Idol. Most recently, she was with Lightspeed Venture Partners.
She was photographed earlier this year alongside King Charles' director of communications, Tobyn Andreae, at a Mayfair private members club in London, together with Maguire. The meeting was viewed as a potential bridge-building moment between the two communications camps and came months before Prince Harry's brief reunion with his father, King Charles, in September.
A source familiar with the couple's communications approach tells PEOPLE that there was some initial industry curiosity around the appointment.
"There were a few eyebrows raised when Method and Meredith were retained, given their heavy background in tech, consumer PR and venture capital," the source says, noting that the experience differed from the communications efforts typically associated with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's work.
It is believed that an agency has been lined up to replace Method Communications in supporting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in the U.S. However, the couple are not expected to recruit another chief communications officer. Instead, Maguire will take on an expanded role as lead communications director.
Read the original article onPeople
