Who works at Archewell with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle?


Today, it was questioned if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are listening to the correct people or even following their counsel.

After Meghan’s debut Spotify podcast and a long interview with The Cut, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sparked a slew of arguments over the course of the last week.

The Duchess said she had to continue with a South Africa vacation in spite of a fire breaking out in son Archie’s room in the podcast, in which she subtly criticized royal staff. She also cautioned in The Cut that, having left The Firm, she might “say anything.”

People are now wondering “who is advising them and why are they making so many PR disasters,” according to royal analyst Phil Dampier, who spoke to MailOnline this afternoon.

‘Meghan very much wants to be in charge,’ the analyst said, adding that he thinks the issue is that they are’simply not accepting the counsel provided to them.’

Mr. Dampier said that the pair is “making a tremendous error” in the long term because “either their PR staff are lousy at their job” or “they are disregarding them.”

James Holt, President Mandana Dayani, and Genevieve Roth, Senior Strategic Advisor, are a few of their most essential employees.

The Sussexes will also get advise from business manager Andrew Meyer, communications heads Ashley Momtaheni and Christine Schirmer, and communications chief Christine Schirmer.

Ben Browning, the content director, and Rebecca Sananes, the audio chief, are both participating in the ‘Archetypes’ Spotify podcasts, which debuted last week.

MailOnline profiles eight employees of the California-based Archewell company here:

Harry and Mleave St Paul's Cathedral in London on June 3 when they visited the UK

Harry and Mleave St Paul's Cathedral in London on June 3 when they visited the UK

Prince Harry and Meghan leave after a service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on June 3

JAMES HOLT – Executive Director 

James Holt

James Holt

James Holt

James Holt, who has been in charge of communications for the Royal Foundation since October 2017, when Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton jointly ran it, is one of Prince Harry’s staff members with the longest tenure.

In addition to serving as Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK spokesperson, Mr. Holt, a former Liberal Democrat employee, also assumed the position of executive director of the Archewell Foundation in March 2020.

He graduated from the University of Lincoln with a BA in journalism, and in 2010, he was appointed director of communications for the Liberal Democrats, a position he held until 2013.

Prior to taking on the role of communications director for Nick Clegg, Mr. Holt served as the deputy prime minister’s special advisor.

And from 2016 to 2017, he volunteered to serve as Pride in London’s communications director.

MANDANA DAYANI, Archewell’s president

Mandana Dayani

Mandana Dayani

Mandana Dayani

In June of last year, Harry and Meghan appointed Mandana Dayani, a media and technology businesswoman, as their new president.

The activist, who was of Iranian descent, had been a vice president and talent agent for the media and fashion company Rachel Zoe. She was also the brains behind the voter engagement initiative I Am A Voter.

Ms. Dayani is well-versed in podcasting; she co-hosted a program with Debra Messing, the actress from the Will & Grace series, in which she interviewed politicians and celebrities, including Hillary Clinton.

She was born in Tehran in 1982, and after leaving Iran with her family, she went to Italy’s Ladispoli before seeking sanctuary in the US.

Before relocating to Los Angeles and enrolling at the University of Southern California, where she obtained her BA and then went on to receive a second degree from the USC Gould School of Law, she lived in New York.

Ben Browning is the content head.

Ben Browning

Ben Browning

Ben Browning

Ben Browning is assisting the Sussexes with their lucrative contracts with Spotify and Netflix, which are estimated to be valued well over £100 million.

The senior producer who oversees material for Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio has produced movies including The Big Sick, Arrival, Room, and Late Night.

In April of last year, he received a Bafta award for his performance in Carey Mulligan’s film Promising Young Woman. In the past, Mr. Browning served as an executive producer on the HBO film I Know This Much Is True, starring Mark Ruffalo.

He said Harry and Meghan had “created a next-generation production firm with best-in-class distribution partners in Netflix and Spotify, a clear goal to enlighten and amuse, and an unrivaled global reach” when he joined Archewell in March 2021.

From 1994 to 1996, Mr. Browning attended The King’s School Canterbury in Kent, where boarding costs £13,655.

ASHLEY MOMTAHENI – Executive VP, Global Communications 

Ashley Momtaheni

Ashley Momtaheni

Ashley Momtaheni

One of the Sussexes’ most recent recruits is Ashley Momtaheni, who started working at Archewell as executive vice president of worldwide communications on May 30 of this year.

The seasoned publicist came from Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, where she served as vice president of worldwide communications and media relations, to join Harry and Meghan’s team.

She has also held positions as head of communications for Annapurna Pictures and director of corporate communications at United Talent Agency.

Ms. Momtaheni began her career at Warner Bros. and has previously served as a producer on ABC’s Good Morning America.

REBECCA SANANES – Head of Audio

Rebecca Sananes

Rebecca Sananes

Rebecca Sananes

One of the key Archewell staffers working on Meghan’s brand-new Spotify audio series, “Archetypes,” is Rebecca Sananes.

Despite having just recently joined Archewell formally, she serves as the show’s executive producer.

Prior to this, Ms. Sananes served as the show’s principal podcast producer for Pivot, a program produced by Vox Media and New York magazine, the latter of which publishes The Cut, the magazine for which Meghan did another explosive interview this week.

Before joining Pivot, Ms. Sananes worked in public radio in the US. She is subordinate to Ben Browning, the director of content at Archewell.

CHRISTINE WEIL SCHIRMER – Head of Communications

Christine Weil Schirmer

Christine Weil Schirmer

Christine Weil Schirmer

Harry and Meghan recruited Christine Weil Schirmer, regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s finest public relations experts, in November 2020 to improve their reputation throughout the world.

The Duchess attended Northwestern University, where the couple’s director of communications earned a journalism degree in 2000.

Ms. Schirmer moved to the San Francisco Bay region when her career took off after being reared in Long Island, New York, by her librarian parents Ken and Christine.

Before joining Archewell, the married mother of one received recognition for her work with digital firms like Apple and Pinterest.

It was previously said by a source to The Mail on Sunday that it was “very feasible” for Meghan and Ms. Schirmer to have met while students at Northwestern.

GENEVIEVE ROTH – Senior Strategic Advisor

Genevieve Roth

Genevieve Roth

Genevieve Roth

Genevieve Roth is the founder and president of the social impact organization Invisible Hand, through which she serves as Archewell’s senior strategic adviser.

She formerly worked for the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign as the director of “creative engagement” and organized the Glamour Women of the Year Awards.

Ms. Roth, who was born and raised in Alaska, was once the features director of Marie Claire Australia and has previously worked as an editor for GQ and Esquire.

After marrying her black spouse Jordan Keith, the CEO of a retail startup, the mother-of-one said in 2020 that she was “rife with internalized prejudice.”

ANDREW MEYER – Business Manager

Andrew Meyer

Andrew Meyer

Andrew Meyer

Meghan has worked with Andrew Meyer for a long time; she originally hired him when she first wed Prince Harry in the US.

He co-founded the business management company Freemark Financial and, in his capacity as the Sussexes’ business manager, is believed to have been responsible for a number of Meghan’s endeavors over the years.

Jon Chu, Anna Kendrick, Adam Driver, Kathryn Hahn, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Ellen Pompeo are just a few of the celebrities that Mr. Meyer has worked with. He also maintains an office in Beverley Hills, California.

He attended the Windsor Castle wedding of Harry and Meghan in May 2018.

‘I suspect they are simply not taking the advice given to them’: PHIL DAMPIER on Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their team of advisors

By PHIL DAMPIER FOR MAILONLINE

Because of their recent outbursts, Harry and Meghan are beginning to draw critics from people all around the globe.

Politicians are aware that it is time to cease digging a hole and escalating its size once they are reduced to a laughingstock. But I don’t think that will happen.

The worst thing about Meghan’s statements is that she never provides evidence or identifies specific people.

They were never identified as alleged racists in the royal family who made comments about Archie’s skin tone. No instances of how she was treated unfairly after becoming a princess have been provided.

The press personnel who used the N-word are not identified. All of this consists of making irrational charges without any backing.

They then give speeches on environmental problems while flying in luxury planes.

Everywhere, with the possible exception of disabled veterans who compete in the Invictus Games, their popularity is falling.

Who is guiding them, and why are they making so many PR mistakes, are questions that many people have.

I think the issue is that they are just not following the counsel that has been provided to them. Meghan adamantly wants to be in charge.

Harry is completely at her mercy as she looks hellbent on exacting vengeance on the royal family for allegedly not giving her what she wanted.

They are either ignoring them, or their public relations team is doing a poor job.

They are generating a lot of money now, but in the long run, I believe they are making a grave error.

Their PR staff may go, but I believe they will just replace them with a new group of individuals who will carry out their promises.


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