Harry and Meghan ditch her glitzy PR team to go it alone

ONCE the most-liked member of the Royal Family, Prince Harry currently languishes with his scandalprone uncle, Prince Andrew, in the (un)popularity stakes.

Now, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear to be taking drastic measures. I can disclose that the couple have ditched Sunshine Sachs, the New York-based public relations outfit that has been advising Meghan Markle since her days as an actress on legal drama Suits.

‘This is a really big deal for Meghan,’ a source tells me. ‘She takes the view that she doesn’t need to pay an outside firm a lot of money to do PR for her and Harry any more.’

Sunshine Sachs’ partner Keleigh Thomas Morgan played a key role in establishing the Sussexes in California, sharing her contacts and a powerful network of advisers and famous friends. A long-term friend of Meghan’s, she helped devise the strategy for the couple’s African tour in 2019, when they were still working members of the Royal Family.

Keleigh, 45, was a guest at the royal wedding and has also represented American actor Tyler Perry, whose Los Angeles mansion Harry and Meghan used as a base while house-hunting.

But from now on the publicity for their numerous ventures is being handled ‘in-house’ at their charitable foundation, Archewell, by former Silicon Valley bigwig Christine Schirmer, who’s head of communications. Toya Holness, who was appointed as ‘global press secretary’ in March 2021, was reported to have parted company with the Sussexes earlier this year.

Schirmer should certainly be kept busy. Not only does Meghan’s series of podcasts for audio giant Spotify resume broadcasting next week, but the couple have a string of big projects in the pipeline including Harry’s highly controversial autobiography and a reality television show for U.S. streaming firm Netflix.

This week, the Mail on Sunday revealed that Harry had launched an 11th-hour bid to alter his memoir amid fears it would be seen as insensitive after the Queen’s death, which saw a public outpouring of support for the Royal Family.

Harry and Meghan refuse to communicate with the popular Press, while a Sunshine Sachs spokesman declined to comment.

However, a source with knowledge of the company’s relationship with the couple insists: ‘When Sunshine Sachs began working with the Duke and Duchess, the plan was always for it to be temporary until a full-time internal team could be created. After they were hired, Sunshine Sachs worked alongside them to help the transition. All sides are on good terms and periodic advisory work continues.’