A linchpin of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell Netflix series has left the couple's California production company – bringing the total number of employees the Sussexes have lost since their marriage to at least 17.
Archewell TV chief executive Bennett Levine left the company this month to join a US competitor. This step is called a serious “blow” for the couple.
He succeeds his former boss, Oscar-winning producer Ben Browning, who oversaw the record-breaking Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan” and the couple's less successful “Live to Lead” but also quit last year.
Bennett, considered a young star in the industry, is believed to be at least the 17th person to leave the Sussexes' service since their marriage in 2018. At least eight have left the service since moving to California.
His departure came amid uncertainty over the £80million deal with Netflix – the pair's only remaining major streaming contract.
The Duchess of Sussex gushed on the red carpet in Los Angeles before Christmas that she and Prince Harry had “so many exciting things planned” to announce, promising that they would be projects that would make people feel good when they see it.
The search for positivity came after her six-part Netflix documentary received mixed reviews and was branded a “superficial attempt to burnish her public image” – while also taking even more swipes at the royal family.
One critic warned viewers: “The documentary felt more like a one-sided advertisement for Harry and Meghan's image than a balanced exploration of their lives.”
Meghan and Harry have lost another collaborator, this time Bennett Levine, who worked on the Netflix docuseries that caused a stir last year
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry now only have one major media deal with Netflix (pictured in their miniseries) after the Duchess of Sussex's Spotify podcast, Archetypes, was canceled. Experts say 2024 is a crucial year for the couple
Mr. Levine worked on “Harry & Meghan,” which Archewell co-produced with Netflix and will be released in theaters in 2022. It enjoyed good ratings but divided critics.
Bennett confirmed his departure from Archewell in a message to contacts on social media.
“I am pleased to announce that I am starting a new position at Cinetic Media,” he said on LinkedIn about his new job at an American film financing and distribution company.
TV producer Ben Browning (pictured), who also worked on the Netflix series, left last year
A source told the Chron's Richard Eden: “It's a blow for Archewell. “There's no doubt about that.”
Bennett, who was promoted to manager of Archewell in 2022, left the company this month.
He previously worked for Sony Pictures and then FilmNation Entertainment, where he worked with Ben Browning, who also moved to Archewell but also later quit.
Last year, Page Six reported that the Sussexes had split from their talented senior vice president of scripted television, Nishika Kumble.
She worked there for less than two years.
When Mr. Levine was hired as a coordinator for the company in 2021, his appointment was hailed by the Sussexes' most outspoken cheerleader, Omid Scobie, as a sign that Archewell was “a hive of activity that continues to grow.”
Levine's surprise departure comes amid rumors that Netflix may not renew its contract with Archewell and the pair have soon feuded with executives at other broadcasters.
The streaming giant is rumored to be considering a split from the Sussexes after Spotify terminated their contract following an episode of Meghan's podcast Archetypes. Spotify executive and popular podcaster Bill Simmons even called the pair “fucking scammers” afterward.
Meghan Markle pictured at Variety's “Power of Women” gala last month, where she announced “exciting” new projects
Kerry Washington, Kelly Rowland and Meghan on a night out watching Beyoncé. US Weekly claims Meghan is pushing for new work across Hollywood
Meghan and Janet Yang, American film producer and current president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, at the Variety Power of Women event last month.
Hollywood power broker Pearlena Igbokwe, chairwoman of Universal Studio Group, sat next to Meghan at the Variety event
Rumors that the California-based couple could be preparing for the end of their Netflix contract were fueled by their trip to Jamaica last week for the film premiere of Bob Marley: One Love, as guests of Netflix streaming boss Brian Robbins Competitors Paramount Pictures.
The couple has had a difficult time in the US recently, failing to secure any major new deals and becoming the butt of jokes in the American media – previously a major supporter of the couple. They've been skewered by South Park and Family Guy, been named among the year's “biggest losers” by The Hollywood Reporter and recently announced an £8.7 million drop in donations to their Archewell Foundation.
The Duchess of Sussex recently signed a deal with mega agent Ari Emanuel of William Morris Endeavor (WME), whose clients include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Serena Williams and other A-listers – but WME reportedly has concerns.
Meghan also appeared on the red carpet at Variety's “Power of Women” gala, where she announced “exciting” new projects for her and Harry. She also sat with two of LA's most influential women, one who worked at the Oscars and the other who worked high up at Universal Studios. That was two months ago.
For now, the exciting new projects appear to boil down to the hiring of a former model and reality star turned TV producer and “InstaMom.”
Tracy Ryerson, 43, is the new director of scripted content at Archewell Productions. There are rumors that the Sussexes are suggesting that Netflix make a feminist-focused prequel to Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, about the world's most famous jilted bride, Miss Havisham.
In June, Web also revealed that Meghan and Harry had employed the marketing director at an exclusive hotel just around the corner from their villa, which had hosted Audrey Hepburn, Winston Churchill and JFK.
Harrison Colcord worked at San Ysidro Ranch, where room rates range from $2,655 to $4,000 a night, and the Duke of Sussex conducted his incendiary television interviews with Anderson Cooper and Tom Bradby to promote Spare in January last year.
A month later, Ms. Colcord appears to have left San Ysidro Ranch and her role as sales and marketing manager, with no new job listed on her LinkedIn.
But the British owner of a bike shop in Montecito revealed she now works as an office manager for Harry and Meghan after publishing a letter from the couple thanking him and his wife for a free bike that she gave to Archie for his 4th birthday on May 6th. 2023.
Harry and Meghan's offices and businesses have been described as a “revolving door”.
In January last year, Fara Taylor, who led Archewell Productions' marketing team, and Ben Browning, head of internal content, left the company.
The Sussexes said they were “very grateful” for the couple's support with their “important throwback projects”, adding that Ms Taylor and Mr Browning had “exceeded expectations”, The Telegraph reported.
The Duke and Duchess have now reportedly lost 17 employees since 2018. However, the Archewell organization was not officially founded until the end of 2020.
Mr. Browning and Ms. Taylor left Archewell after “making their mark in the cultural zeitgeist,” the company's communications chief told the newspaper.
Mr Browning, an Oscar-nominated producer, is credited with playing a “significant” role in the production of the Harry & Meghan series.
His departure will be followed by a “period of concentration on the production of scripted content,” reports say.
Archewell followed Harry & Meghan with his documentary Live to Lead, made in collaboration with the Mandela Foundation.
“Live to Lead” didn’t receive the same global response as the couple’s documentaries.
Prior to her departure, Mandana Dayani, Archewell's president and chief operating officer, resigned in December 2022, less than 18 months after taking office.
Rebecca Sananes – Head of Audio at Archewell – quit after just 18 months. She was commissioned to produce the Duchess's Spotify podcast Archetypes.
The former employees who have left Harry and Meghan's services since 2018
Bennett Levine – January 2024
Bennett Levine, who was promoted to manager of Archewell in 2022, left the company this month.
He was close to Ben Browning, who worked on the Netflix documentary series Ha
When he was hired as a coordinator for the company in 2021, his appointment was hailed by the Sussexes' most outspoken cheerleader, Omid Scobie, as a sign that Archewell was “a hive of activity that continues to grow.”
Levine confirmed his departure in a message to contacts on social media. “I am pleased to announce that I am starting a new position at Cinetic Media.”
Fara Taylor – January 2023
Fara Taylor led Archewell's marketing team
Fara Taylor led Archewell's marketing team. She decided to leave the company in January 2023.
She oversaw the team during the release of the couple's Netflix docuseries and Harry's memoir, Spare.
Ms Taylor's departure comes as the Sussexes planned to “streamline the company's marketing department”.
Ashley Hansen, communications director at Archewell, will lead the marketing team going forward.
Oscar-nominated producer Ben Browning has left his job at Archewell following the success of the couple's Harry and Meghan docuseries
Ben Browning – January 2023
Oscar-nominated producer Ben Browning has left his job at Archewell following the success of the couple's Harry and Meghan docuseries.
Mr. Browning, the company's internal head of content, played a “significant” role in the production of the Netflix series.
“Harry & Meghan” was the most-streamed documentary series debut on the platform, logging 81.55 million hours watched in its first week of release.
Archewell followed Harry & Meghan with his documentary Live to Lead, made in collaboration with the Mandela Foundation.
“Live to Lead” didn’t receive the same global response as the couple’s documentaries.
Rebecca Sananes
Rebecca Sananes – December 2022
According to the Daily Telegraph and US gossip website Page Six, Rebecca Sananes has quit as head of audio at Archewell after just 18 months.
She was hired to produce Meghan's Spotify podcast “Archetypes” in July 2021, but was replaced by media manager Serena Regan.
It has not yet been decided whether a second series of archetypes will be commissioned.
Mandana Dayani – December 2022
Mandana Dayani resigned over the weekend as president of Archewell, the couple's media empire and charitable foundation.
Mandana Dayani
A spokeswoman for Meghan and Harry said the couple would “take full control of their company.”
With her US media connections, the Iranian-born activist was considered one of the Duke and Duchess's key advisors. She has been with Archewell for less than 18 months, where she led day-to-day operations.
In a statement last night, Ashley Hansen, Meghan and Harry's global press secretary, said Ms. Dayani “was an integral part of Archewell and we are grateful for her passion, commitment and leadership.”
Toya Holness – May 2022
Toya Holness, who has a degree in strategic PR from the University of Southern California, joined the Sussexes in October 2020 and was promoted to head of their PR on both sides of the Atlantic in March last year.
Toya Holness
She has previously been described as “Meghan's shadow” – often seen in the same style of power suits and Hollywood sunglasses.
The former footballer was one of a small group who spoke to Harry and Meghan daily, but is believed to have split from the couple, the Sunday Times reports.
According to insiders, she “wanted to get out” after realizing she “had to fulfill a lot of roles for the couple.”
Catherine St Laurent – March 2021
Harry and Meghan's Archewell Foundation executive director Catherine St-Laurent resigned after just a year to take up a “senior advisory role” at the organization.
Catherine St. Laurent
Ms. St-Laurent took on the position of chief of staff and executive director of the Sussexes' nonprofit in April 2020.
The Canadian mother of two was considered “the great hope to lead her organization.”
It was announced that Meghan and Harry's British PR boss James Holt would take on the role of director instead.
And in a sign of the couple's growing ventures across the pond, it was also announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have hired veteran producer Ben Browning to run their film and television company.
Natalie Campbell – June 2020
Natalie Campbell, a diversity activist, was Harry and Meghan's big hire as head of their esteemed charity foundation, Sussex Royal.
Natalie Campbell
She collaborated with Meghan on the cookbook Together, which shined a light on the Hubb Kitchen, a group that came together to prepare fresh meals after the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.
She was headhunted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Royal Foundation in August 2019 and worked for the Sussexes for less than a year before starting a new job.
Sara Latham – March 2020
Sara Latham, a former communications director, was among a group of 15 employees who lost their jobs as a result of Megxit.
Sarah Latham
She previously worked for Barack Obama and was hired when the dispute between the Sussexes and the Cambridges arose.
In his bombastic book “Courtiers,” Valentine Low writes: “On the back of [colleagues’] I felt that anyone leaving the Sussex team would be best advised to come up with a good excuse. “Meghan didn’t like it when she thought it was about her.”
Clara Loughran – March 2020
The 33-year-old New Zealander initially worked for the Cambridges, where she met her now husband, PR manager Nick Loughran.
Samantha Cohen
She was given a key role as the Sussexes' project manager: overseeing their charity projects and helping with their wedding plans. She lost her job when the couple left to start a new life.
Samantha Cohen – October 2019
Cohen, the Queen's deputy private secretary, planned to leave Buckingham Palace in 2018.
However, she agreed to stay to accompany the Duchess of Sussex through her first months in the royal family.
An Australian who joined the palace press department in 2001, the tough-talking Cohen commanded respect in royal circles.
Clara Loughran
She left the couple last year as a private secretary to work for the environmental organization Cool Earth.
Amy Pickerill – March 2019
Ms Pickerill had been tipped to become Meghan's private secretary after Cohen before unexpectedly quitting as a key employee in May 2019.
The former Treasury press secretary played a key role in Harry and Meghan's tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga in October 2018 – their first royal tour as a married couple.
Amy Pickerill
Meghan described the loss of her deputy private secretary as “very sad” and sources claimed the split was amicable.
Jason Knauf & Christian Jones – March 2019
Senior communications secretaries Jason Knauf and Christian Jones left to work for the Cambridges.
It was discovered that Mr Knauf made a formal complaint to Prince William's private secretary, Simon Case, in October 2018 about the bullying he said several members of the household were experiencing.
The Sussexes have always vehemently rejected allegations of bullying as a “calculated smear campaign”.
Senior communications secretaries Jason Knauf (left) and Christian Jones (right) left the company to work for the Cambridges
Melissa Toubati
Women’s Protection Officer – January 2019
In January 2019, a royal protection officer also quit her job as Meghan's top bodyguard.
The official, who is not being named for security reasons, had been Meghan and Harry's head of security for less than a year when she left that position.
At the time, a Scotland Yard spokesman said: “It is for personal reasons and has absolutely nothing to do with the Duke or Duchess, who are deeply disappointed by their loss.”
Melissa Toubati – November 2018
Deputy Communications Secretary Katrina McKeever
Meghan's assistant Melissa Toubati left the company after just six months and is said to have quit after the duchess left her “in tears” with her demands. Meghan denies the claims.
Katrina McKeever – September 2018
Deputy Communications Minister Katrina McKeever quietly left the Kensington Palace press office in September 2018.
She had an important liaison role with Meghan's family, including her father, Thomas Markle. In “Finding Freedom,” Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand say McKeever “stayed in good spirits with the Sussexes.”