Why Meghan and Harry's Archewell director 'wanted out' after just a year

Catherine St-Laurent, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's chief of staff and executive director of their charity Archewell, recently quit her roles less than a year after joining the non-profit organisation. Instead, she has taken a purely advisory role, which comes as a total surprise as she was called an "incredible asset" when she was appointed as the leader of the charity.

According to a report in The Telegraph, the global executive "wanted out" of the coveted position as the work expected from her was much more than her job profile. A source told the outlet: "I think there was a sense that she was having to fulfil a great many functions for the couple – not all of which were necessarily in her job spec."

The mother-of-two was working at Melinda Gates's Pivotal Ventures when she was head-hunted by the royal couple last April. She is reportedly planning to launch her own new "social impact firm," and will be supported by and working with Archewell in her new endeavor.

One royal insider expressed surprise at her departure from Harry and Meghan's firm, noting that she was a "huge appointment" for them. The source said: "A big hitter with a great track record, poached to head up their new working life in the US. It is really quite astonishing she has left that role after less than a year."

The positions left vacant by St-Laurent' will now be filled by James Holt, Harry and Meghan's current communications officer in the UK. According to reports, the Sussexes have no immediate plans to fill his previous position in Britain, which means all their media relations will now be handled in the US.

Meanwhile, the couple have made a number of fresh high-profile appointments in Archewell as well as its other ventures. Toya Holness has been hired as "global press secretary" for Archewell, while Oscar-nominated producer Ben Browning has been made the head of content for Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio, which produces exclusive content for the couple's multi-million dollar deal with Netflix and Spotify respectively.

The couple have also linked up with Invisible Hand – a "social impact and culture change agency," which would be focusing on "strategic change through storytelling and community building in support of gender and racial equity." Genevieve Roth, who worked on Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, has been appointed as a "senior strategic adviser" to the couple, amid rumours that Meghan has plans to become the first female President of the United States.