Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, abruptly fired one of her most loyal aides, the latest casualty of a deepening split in the “fab four” royal households after her brother-in-law’s marriage to Meghan Markle last year.
Royal sources told London’s The Sun newspaper Agnew was no longer needed after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — Prince Harry and Markle — split from the Royal Foundation created by the princess in 2009. The charity, which focuses on helping children, was to have included the “fab four” young royals on its governing board.
But last week, Markle and Harry’s personal charitable projects were scrubbed from the Royal Foundation’s web site, and only Middleton and William were listed as the charity’s principals.
The break-up had officially been announced in May when the couples said in a press statement they were choosing “divergent paths” in their charitable work.
The couples also announced that they were splitting households, with Harry and Markle moving out of Kensington Palace onto the royal estate at Windsor with the blessing of the Queen.
Despite the split, Agnew, who had accompanied the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on royal visits and joined the couple on their 2014 tour of Australia and New Zealand, was said to be shocked by the dismissal.
Agnew has become the second prominent female aide to have left as soon as she married. Middleton’s former private secretary, Rebecca Deacon, quit in 2017.