Meghan Markle’s trusted aide ‘Samantha The Panther’ will ‘quit after she gives birth’
Private secretary Samantha Cohen is to leave the palace after 17 years later this year
IT is rumoured that Meghan Markle has been nicknamed “Duchess Difficult” after a number of staff have handed in their notice at Kensington Palace since the wedding.
But a source has claimed the Duchess of Sussex actually has a loyal following among staff, and the couple’s interim Private Secretary Samantha Cohen will stay to help them with their baby.
It came as a shock to many when it was reported last year that Samantha, who has worked at the palace for 17 years, was to leave her role.
An insider has claimed that while Samantha will give up her position later this year, she will stay through spring to support the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The couple are expecting their first baby around April, and are said to be thrilled that Samantha will remain at the palace until a replacement private secretary is found.
The source told : “Sam was always going to be an interim private secretary until the Duke and Duchess found a permanent one.
“Sam gets on well with Meghan and Harry and she has agreed to stay on and help them until after they have had the baby and found a full time replacement private secretary so that the hand over will be completely seamless.”
Australian Samantha - nicknamed 'Samantha the Panther' for her feisty attitude - joined the Buckingham Palace press office in 2001 and rose to the private office.
She previously worked as one of The Queen's most trusted aides before moving to work for Meghan and Harry.
Samantha, 50, is said to have played a key role in prepping Meghan for Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace – her first appearance as the Duchess of Sussex.
Her role as a private secretary involves managing the diaries of the Duke and Duchess, and organising their charitable commitments, and official engagements.
Another high profile aide for Meghan, Melissa Toubati sensationally resigned just six months after the royal wedding.
"She put up with quite a lot. Meghan put a lot of demands on her and it ended up with her in tears.
“She is hugely talented and played a pivotal role in the success of the royal wedding. She’ll be missed by everyone in the household.
"Melissa is a total professional and fantastic at her job, but things came to a head and it was easier for them both to go their separate ways.”
It was also announced that Meghan’s female bodyguard had announced she is to quit after less than a year.
The move comes weeks before Meghan and her husband Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are due to move into Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle ahead of the birth of their first child.
It is thought a separation of the offices will help ease any rumoured tension between the princes and their wives, but the palace insists the new working arrangement is for practical reasons.
The source added: “If you have one private office trying to manage both, things get difficult. William and Harry’s double act has naturally been supplanted by the two couples and their families.”
Vanity Fair said that Kensington Palace’s new public relations hire Christian Jones will help to oversee the royal birthing plans and will work with the Sussexes on a day-to-day basis.
Meanwhile head of communications Jason Knauf will stay in charge of the entire communications team out of Kensington Palace.
The couple have a busy few weeks ahead, with a two-day trip to Morocco scheduled for this month, along with moving to Frogmore Cottage.
Prince Harry is said to have ‘felt bitter and lonely’ when Kate Middleton and Prince William moved to Norfolk.
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get ready to welcome their new-born, there’s been talk they might shun British private schools in favour of American ones.
And as he prepares to become a parent, sources claim he's ‘knuckling down’ and reading parenting books.