Another key staff member leaves Meghan and Harry

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have suffered another setback, with an unexpected move by one of their closest confidantes.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have lost one of their closest aides with the sudden departure of their global press secretary, who was dubbed the “shadow” of the Duchess of Sussex.

Toya Holness, joined the royal couple in October 2020 and was promoted quickly to run their PR in both the US and the UK.

Her departure means they have lost 12 of their senior staff since their wedding in 2018.

Ms Holness has previously been described as “Meghan’s shadow” because she dressed the same way as the former Suits actor.

Insiders claimed she wanted to leave after “having to fulfil a great many functions for the couple”, the Daily Mail reported.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have lost another key staff member.

The departure of Ms Holness comes as speculation ramps up about the exact timing of Prince Harry’s autobiography

The book is scheduled for publication later this year, and is said to be “a first-hand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful”.

The publisher, Penguin Random House, declined to give a release date.

The delay has eased fears the book could be released at the time of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next month - with some royal watchers worried the contents of the book would overshadow the event.

Speculation is growing over the release date for Prince Harry’s autobiography.

The book is expected to detail the breakdown of the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and reveal Prince Harry’s thoughts about the events that led to his mother’s death in 1997.

The Queen has decided only working royals will join her on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour, the spectacular start of her long weekend of celebrations. That means the couple, and Prince Andrew, won’t appear alongside The Queen for what will be an iconic event of her long reign.