Meghan gets right-hand woman to take charge of her royal duties

MEGHAN MARKLE may not be a member of the Royal Family yet but she has already been given a right-hand woman to help with her official programme.

Former Kensington Palace press officer Amy Pickerill is now an assistant private secretary in Prince Harry’s office working on Ms Markle’s official diary.

Ms Markle, inset, has already carried out four public visits with fiancé Prince Harry and during the most recent event, a trip to Edinburgh earlier in February, was photographed next to Ms Pickerill who was holding a bouquet of tulips that had been given to the US actress by a well-wisher.

Harry’s fiancée has also been carrying out private fact-finding trips to organisations to get to know the UK charity sector and Ms Pickerill is likely to have been involved in organising the visits. Her role will not only involve planning Ms Markle’s diary but handling any official correspondence she may receive. During public events Ms Pickerill will be on hand to collect gifts, given to Harry’s bride-to-be, and be a point of contact for organisers or officials. Ms Pickerill was a senior communications officer working for the households of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry before joining Harry’s office. The former Nottingham University history graduate has previously worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland in a number of roles in the press office department.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said Ms Pickerill “will be working on Meghan Markle’s programme”.

Ms Markle, an American actress and humanitarian, will become a member of the Royal Family upon marriage to Prince Harry in May.

She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and was an actress until she announced her retirement on her engagement.

In January, Ms Markle deleted her social media accounts, and in a statement issued by Kensington Palace thanked “everyone who has followed her social media accounts over the years”.

She is expected to be baptised and confirmed into the Church of England before the wedding on May 19, 2018, at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.