Meghan loses ANOTHER aide

THE Duchess of Sussex was last night described as ‘very sad’ to be losing her most trusted aide – the fourth member of her team to quit in the past five months.

Amy Pickerill, pictured right, who had been tipped to become Meghan’s next private secretary, will leave after the Duchess gives birth, which is expected to be next month.

Sources insisted the split was amicable with Ms Pickerill, 33, moving abroad.

‘Amy and Meghan will stay in touch because they are so close,’ a Palace source said. ‘I’ve no doubt they will continue to speak and Amy will continue to support Meghan. Their relationship is really strong.’

Ms Pickerill, who will help with the couple’s imminent move to Frogmore Cottage in Home Park, Windsor, joined Kensington Palace as a senior communications officer in 2016.

She played a key role during last year’s Royal tour to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, including helping to whisk Meghan to safety during a scare at a market.

Since adopting a more public role, Ms Pickerill, who studied at Nottingham University and City University in London, has even drawn the attention of fashion bloggers. The loss of the former Royal Bank of Scotland and Treasury press officer will be keenly felt by the Duchess, who has faced accusations that she makes unreasonably high demands of staff.

In December, it emerged that aide Samantha Cohen will leave Kensington Palace after Meghan becomes a mother. A former assistant private secretary to the Queen, Ms Cohen had agreed to stay on to help the Duchess to adapt to Royal life.

Her PA Melissa Touabti, 39, who had worked for Robbie Williams, quit in November and it emerged in January that Meghan’s female personal protection officer was leaving the Met for ‘personal reasons’.