A Christmas party that divided into two separate events was the first hint that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were set to separate their office from Prince William and Kate Middleton, Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary revealed.
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James Holt, executive director of the couple’s Archewell Foundation, revealed a festive celebration due to be hosted by Kensington Palace for Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their staff ended up as two parties. James Holt was at the time head of communications for the Royal Foundation. In the docuseries, he said, "Every year Kensington Palace hosts a Christmas party for the principals and the staff. And so we were gearing for one big party and very shortly before the party, it became two parties.”
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“Actually that was the point that you realised that these offices are separating," he added. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle separating from Prince William and Kate Middleton's household was not announced until March 2019 after which the former established establish their own household within Buckingham Palace. The Christmas parties are thought to have taken place in December 2018, just seven months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding.
{{/usCountry}}“Actually that was the point that you realised that these offices are separating," he added. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle separating from Prince William and Kate Middleton's household was not announced until March 2019 after which the former established establish their own household within Buckingham Palace. The Christmas parties are thought to have taken place in December 2018, just seven months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding.
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Initially, palace insisted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would remain as part of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s charitable foundation, but in June 2019, it was announced the Sussexes would set up their own foundation, later launched as Archewell.
The couple eventually stepped down as senior working royals in March 2020. In the documentary, Prince Harry claimed that his brother's employees told the media rumours about him and Meghan Markle.
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"I would far rather get destroyed in the press than play along with this game or this business of trading," Prince Harry said, adding, "And to see my brother's office copy the very same thing that we promised the two of us would never ever do, that was heartbreaking."