The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have boosted their rapidly expanding stable of staff by rehiring two palace aides who lost their jobs when the royal couple left the UK.
In recent months Harry and Meghan have made a series of key appointments to head their forthcoming non-profit foundation, Archewell, as well as starting their own in-house PR outfit.
Now, it can be revealed, they have employed ex-palace staff Clara Loughran and Beth Herlihy on a freelance basis to work on charity projects in the UK.
The pair, both in their 30s, lost their jobs in March when Harry and Meghan moved to North America. Their appointment is in addition to the couple’s UK PR chief, James Holt.
It can be revealed, Harry and Meghan have employed ex-palace staff Clara Loughran (pictured) and Beth Herlihy on a freelance basis to work on charity projects in the UK
With a string of new employees in the US as well, including a head of communications, a press secretary and a chief of staff, industry experts say the bill for their couple’s team so far could easily top £1million a year.
This does not include PAs, staff working on their production and podcast ventures, household employees and private security.
New Zealand-born Mrs Loughran, who is married to Harry’s ex-assistant communications secretary, Nick Loughran, had worked for the prince since 2015, organising his official engagements and charitable initiatives. She was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order – an honour given to those who have served the monarchy with dedication in a personal capacity – by the Queen, on Harry’s recommendation.
Miss Herlihy worked as the Sussexes programme manager from September 2018. She had also worked alongside Harry for more than four years as an events co-ordinator at the Royal Foundation, started by Harry with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. She and Mrs Loughran were among 13 plus tax-payer-funded employees who lost their jobs in March when Harry and Meghan quit royal duties.
Together again: The couple and their rehired staff member Beth Herlihy (pictured right)
Recently they formed Herlihy Loughran, which describes itself as an ‘advisory partnership’ that links ‘influential people’ and organisations to good causes.
Harry and Meghan are among their first clients, sources confirmed. They have been employed in addition to their existing UK PR chief Mr Holt, pictured inset.
Last month it was announced that the Sussexes had snapped up Christine Weil Schirmer, 42, former head of communications at internet site Pinterest, to lead their PR assault on the US.
The mother-of-one attended the same US university as Meghan, Northwestern.
US staff: Recruits Catherine St Laurent, Christine Schirmer and Toya Holness
They have also appointed a press secretary. Toya Holness has worked for the celebrity William Morris Endeavor agency. A ‘stellar’ footballer who played for her university team in California, she is described by friends as ‘bold and outgoing’. The Sussexes had already poached another major figure, Catherine St Laurent, as their chief of staff. She is also the executive director of Archewell, which is expected to launch in the new year after months of delays.
Their appointment is in addition to the couple’s UK PR chief, James Holt (pictured)
Miss St Laurent had been responsible for Melinda Gates’ profile and communications activities at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Industry experts said the wage bill for the three US appointments alone was unlikely to be any less than £650,000-a-year plus benefits.
PR expert Mark Borkowski said the extent of the new appointments proved the ‘global’ ambitions of the couple.
‘There’s clearly a big operation being set up there. What will be interesting to see is whether these [new] people challenge the way [the couple] go about things,’ he said.
‘The focus on them is pretty relentless and they clearly want to change the established narrative around them now they are trying to launch themselves in America.’
Estabelecidos na  há mais de um ano e nos Estados Unidos desde março, quando deixaram oficialmente de fazer parte da Família Real britânica, o  e sua esposa  miram agora o Reino Unido, onde querem recuperar parte de sua popularidade. 

E para isto, segundo o Daily Mail com exclusividade ontem, teriam recontratado o seu ex-chefe do setor de , James Holt, e duas outras funcionárias, Clara Loughran e Beth Herlihy, que trabalhavam na área de projetos sociais e de caridade do casal. 

A notícia veio apenas alguns dias depois dos tabloides britânicos reportarem que Harry e Meghan queriam uma extensão do ''Spring Transition'', prazo dado pela  para o casal decidir definitivamente se voltaria a morar no Reino Unido ou não e que encerraria no final de março de 2021. 

'''Novo podcast'''

Em meio aos rumores, o casal divulgou ontem um novo '' podcast'', desta vez com uma pequena participação do filho de 19 meses, Archie, e de celebridades como , ,  e .

Eles assinaram um contrato de cerca de 30 milhões de dólares com a  para produzir ''podcasts'' e meses antes, um contrato de 150 milhões com a Netflix para a realização de uma série. 

'''Briga com a imprensa'''

O principal motivo da mudança do casal para a América do Norte foi para fugir da perseguição da imprensa, que costumava, principalmente, retratar Meghan Markle de forma negativa. Pouco antes da mudança, inclusive, Harry havia anunciado que o casal estava processando o Daily Mail e outros jornais do grupo por "mentiras".

E a questão racial, já que ela é uma afrodescendente, para alguns, pode ter sido um dos motivos desta retratação negativa, já quem em novembro de 2016, quando o relacionamento se tornou público, a própria Casa Real chamou atenção oficialmente para o assunto ao emitir um comunicado pedindo para que o racismo contra a então atriz parasse.

Após o nascimento de Archie, o pequeno chegou a ser chamado de macaco por um radialista da BBC, que foi depois demitido.

No domingo passado, o Daily Mail foi obrigado pela Justiça a publicar um pedido de desculpas e fazer uma doação a uma ONG fundada por Harry, a Invictus Games, por ter escrito outra mentira: a de que o príncipe havia dado as costas para as Forças Armadas britânicas. 

'''''Personas non gratas'''''

Ao longo do ano, o casal perdeu popularidade no Reino Unido e por isto, segundo observadores, é ainda mais importante que o casal invista numa campanha de Relações Públicas no país.

Uma campanha parecida já está sendo feita nos Estados Unidos e teve como início a divulgação do livro ''Finding Freedom'', que conta a versão do casal, através do depoimento de amigos, de sua vida na realeza britânica. Poucos meses atrás eles também contrataram a relações públicas Christine Weil Schirmer, ex-chefe de comunicações do site Pinterest.

No Reino Unido em setembro passado, segundo o website especializado em pesquisas You Gov, 48% dos britânicos achavam que o casal "deveria perder os títulos de Duque e Duquesa de Sussex", 27% disseram que eles "deveriam manter os títulos" e 25% disseram que "não sabiam" opinar sobre o assunto. 

O You Gov reportou no final de outubro que a popularidade dos dois tinha caído significativamente.