Following their split from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's household and charitable foundation earlier this year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been appointing new members of staff to make up their dream team. Harry and Meghan, who identify as feminists, have created an all-female team – a first for the royal family. Their most recent appointments include the couple's private secretary Fiona Mcilwham and Karen Blackett, who will act as director and trustee of the Sussex Royal Foundation. Let's take a look at Harry and Meghan's team ahead of their tour to Africa this autumn…
Fiona Mcilwham
The Queen's long-standing member of staff Samantha Cohen transferred to work for Harry and Meghan as their interim private secretary whilst the couple were looking for a more permanent solution. And now the Sussexes have found their perfect right-hand woman, Fiona Mcilwham, 45, who was formerly the British Ambassador to Albania.
Fiona reportedly won over palace officials and the couple themselves, who had hoped to hire a joint private secretary from within the royal household roster. But Fiona has quite the résumé, becoming one of the youngest ambassadors for Britain when she was posted to Albania aged 35. She also previously worked as Director for Western Balkans and Enlargement at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom.
The high-flying diplomat, who describes herself as a "wannabe supermum" on Twitter, lives in north London with her husband Daniel Korski, David Cameron's former 'enforcer', and their son.
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© Photo: PAKaren Blackett
Karen was appointed as the first trustee of the Sussex Royal Foundation in August. She is chairwoman of media agency MediaCom UK and country manager of marketing and communications firm WPP; Karen was also named number one in the 2015 Powerlist of the 100 most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage in the UK. The first businesswoman to top the list, Karen, 48, was also awarded an OBE for services to the media industry in 2014.
As a teenager, she was told that her only career choices were to be a nurse or a teacher. Writing in The Guardian in 2014, she revealed: "I am a single mother to a five-year-old boy and I want my son to truly know that he can be whatever he chooses to be, without any barriers related to his skin colour."
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© Photo: RexSara Latham
Harry and Meghan's Head of Communications comes highly recommended, having previously worked for the Clintons and the late Tessa Jowell. She was a former senior advisor on Hillary Clinton's 2016 electoral campaign and a special advisor to the Labour politician. Sara also served as special advisor to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Sport and Olympics between 2005 and 2006.
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© Photo: PAClara Madden
The New Zealander previously worked for Prince William and Kate and made such an impression on the couple that they made a point of meeting Clara's parents when they visited New Zealand in 2014. Her mother revealed afterwards: "William said to me that Clara is the star of the office."
But following Prince Harry and Meghan's engagement, Clara was given the role of projects manager, where she was tasked with making sure planning ahead of the royal wedding went smoothly, from the couple's first public engagement to the big day itself. Clara had a special role at the ceremony – handing Meghan her bouquet after she walked into St George's Chapel.
© Photo: PANatalie Campbell
Also working for the Sussex Royal Foundation is Natalie Campbell, one of the foundation's directors who was previously employed as the Director of Insight and Innovation at the Royal Foundation. Natalie, who parted ways with Prince William and Kate to take on her new role, is said to have formed a close bond with Meghan after working together on her Grenfell charity community cookbook.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHeather Wong
Harry's deputy private secretary Heather is said to be leaving the royal household. She previously worked as the Duke's assistant private secretary before her promotion. Heather also worked as a political appointee in the Obama administration and was associate director at London-based communications and policy consultancy Milltown Partners, which was set up by Prince Charles's former adviser, Paddy Harverson.
Royal nanny
Harry and Meghan's nanny has yet to be identified, but she was pictured for the first time in August when the family were holidaying in Nice. She is said to be the third nanny hired since Archie's birth in May. The first nanny was reportedly let go, while the second only worked nights. The new childminder, who is not live-in, is expected to join the royals on their upcoming tour of Africa this autumn.
