Harry and Meghan’s chief of staff quits after only three months

The Duke of Sussex’s chief of staff has left the post after three months, departing before the couple embark on a visit to Colombia.
Josh Kettler, whose previous experience includes six years with the outdoor clothing brand Patagonia, is the ninth staff member to leave Prince Harry and Meghan’s office in three years.
When he joined the Sussexes earlier this year, US People magazine said that his role would be “guiding” Harry “through his next phase” while Meghan concentrated on the launch of her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard.
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However, following a report in the Daily Mail that Kettler, who is based in Santa Barbara, was to leave the post, People magazine reported that Kettler had only been hired “on a trial basis” and that “the decision to part ways was mutual, with both sides agreeing it wasn’t the right fit”.
Harry, 39, and Meghan, 43, are due to arrive in Colombia this week, touring the country with a series of public engagements to promote the work of their non-profit foundation.
Francia Márquez, the vice-president of Colombia, said that the couple had “kindly accepted my invitation to visit our beautiful country”.
She said: “During their trip, the duke and duchess will join me in visiting Bogota, as well as the Caribbean and Pacific regions of Cartagena and Cali. In these vibrant locations, they will have the exceptional opportunity to engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody these aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress.
“In addition to these meaningful interactions, the duke and duchess will experience the rich heritage of Colombia.”
Márquez said that the visit came at “a particularly significant time”, with Colombia due to host the first global conference on Ending Violence Against Children.
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However, the timing of the visit comes at a febrile time for Colombia’s government.
On Friday President Petro, the country’s first left-wing leader, suggested that Iván Mordisco, the rebel commander of the Estado Mayor Central group, was planning to have him assassinated by snipers.
Relations between the government and rebel factions remain tense, with a ceasefire between the two sides breaking down last month. The EMC is a dissident group of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc, that rejects a 2016 peace deal with the state.
Petro said in a post on Twitter/X: “I would ask alias Iván Mordisco if it’s true that he has allied himself with the self-proclaimed ‘New Drug Trafficking Board’ with secret headquarters in Dubai, from where they commit crimes, to kill me with paid snipers.”
In a statement to the United Nations last month, Barbara Woodward, the UK’s representative to the UN, warned that the next two years of Petro’s government would be “critical” to building sustainable peace in the country.
Woodward said: “We welcome Colombia’s continued focus on addressing the root causes of conflict. We remain concerned about persistent levels of violence and threats.” She added: “We look forward to the implementation of the public policy to dismantle illegal armed groups.”
For some, it remains a puzzling choice of destination for the Sussexes, particularly in light of Harry’s concerns over his personal security.
Harry is pursuing court proceedings against the Home Office in Britain arguing that his automatic right to police security should be reinstated every time he visits the UK.
He argues that although he is no longer a working member of the royal family the threat level to him as the son of the King remains the same.
During court proceedings, the duke said he did not feel it was safe for him to visit the UK with his wife and their two children.
The High Court heard that Harry wanted his children to “feel at home” in the UK but that they could not if “it’s not possible to keep them safe”.
On Tuesday night it was reported that Prince Harry would not attend the funeral of his uncle Robert Fellowes in Britain. Lord Fellowes, who died last month, was married to Lady Jane, an older sister of Harry’s mother Princess Diana.
He was a senior royal aide for 22 years, working as private secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth during the 1990s. Details of the funeral have not been made public but the Daily Mail reported that there would be a “very small” and private funeral service for close family at the “end of the month” in Norfolk. This will be followed by a private memorial service for “wider” family and friends. There are also plans for a public memorial service.
The Duke of Sussex’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Josh Kettler could not be reached for comment.