What It’s Really Like to Work for Meghan Markle: Staffers Tell All

Transcript

00:00Hello, I'm Dan Wakeford, the editor-in-chief of Us Weekly.

00:07This week we chose to put Meghan Markle as one of our covers again.

00:10To be honest, I didn't expect to do another cover on Meghan quite so soon as we'd already

00:14covered her return to the spotlight just two months ago.

00:17However, Meghan was thrust into the center of the news once again because of negative

00:21headlines about how she conducts herself as a boss.

00:24The reports claim that those who work for Meghan are terrified of her, and it included

00:29quotes from a source calling her a dictator in high heels who belittles people and has

00:33reduced grown men to tears.

00:35It's rare that people who work for celebrities and notable figures in the public eye talk

00:40on the record about their jobs behind the scenes.

00:43So when we got the opportunity to talk to the current and former employees of the Duchess

00:47of Sussex and her husband Prince Harry, I felt it was compelling enough to do a cover

00:51story.

00:52We talked to five staff on the record and another two off the record, and they say that

00:57the previous anonymous allegations made are wildly inaccurate and damaging.

01:02They reveal an unprecedented look into Meghan and Harry's work world and also their private

01:07world behind the scenes.

01:08All seven employees had a positive experience working for Meghan and Harry.

01:12Josh Kettler, who left in August, says he was warmly welcomed and they're dedicated

01:17and hardworking.

01:18Ashley Hansen, the global press secretary to the Duke and Duchess and the head of communications

01:23for Archwell, says her bosses couldn't have been more supportive when she had to take

01:27extended time off for a serious surgery.

01:30And Mandana Danyani, former Archwell COO, shares that some of her favourite memories

01:35were during weekly meetings in their Montecito home where Meghan always served the most incredible

01:41lunches and snacks.

01:42The seven current and former staff members describe a supportive and fun workplace that

01:47involves care packages, happy hours, karaoke nights, credit being given for great ideas

01:53and everyday kindness.

01:55One staffer told us that their colleagues have been dumbfounded by these claims, saying

02:00the stories are likely made up by someone who's disgruntled.

02:03This story was important to tell as it shows a counter-narrative to the negative descriptions

02:08that have been given anonymously, and these employees wanted to come forward to tell their

02:13truth.

02:14We're here for a reason, says one of the current team members.

02:17If you come for our bosses, we're coming for you.

02:19We're just trying to do good.

02:21Catch the full story on usmagazine.com or on newsstands now.