Meghan Markle to Reportedly Lose Another Aide Amid Claims of ‘Difficult’ Behavior

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is reportedly losing another important aide amid mounting reports in the British press of her “difficult” behavior.

Marke and Prince Harry‘s private secretary, Samantha Cohen, told other members of the Royal Family household she plans to leave after the couple’s first child is born in the spring, reports The Sunday Times.

Cohen, 50, is a longtime member of the royal staff, having risen the ranks to become one of Queen Elizabeth‘s top aides as a private secretary and communications secretary. Ahead of Markle and Harry’s wedding, Cohen reportedly joined the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s household on an interim basis to guide Markle through six months of “royal training.”

It was previously reported that Cohen would leave Markle and Harry after those six months were up, but the Times reports Markle hoped Cohen would stay with her permanently.

“Sam will be a huge loss,” a source close to Markle told the Times. “Going forward, Meghan might need someone cut from a slightly different cloth to traditional courtiers, who is not a career civil servant or royal insider.”

Cohen’s reported planned exit came after Markle’s personal assistant, Melissa Touabti, resigned last month, reports E! News. Touabti kept Harry and Markle’s schedule organized, but the Times reports she also had a difficult relationship with the Duchess.

Since Markle and Harry tied the knot in May, dozens of reports of her “difficult” behavior have surfaced. As early as July, a source told PEOPLE Markle found some of the rules of the royal household to be “difficult to understand.”

“[Markle] has found certain rules in the royal household difficult to understand, like the fact that the Queen prefers women in dresses or skirts rather than trouser suits, and is often asking Harry why things have to be done in a certain way,” the source said at the time. “I think she finds it a little frustrating at times, but this is her new life, and she has to deal with it.”

In November, The Daily Mail reported that Markle begins her day at 5 a.m. and frequently messages staffers about new ideas throughout the day.

More recently, there have been reports that Markle does not get along well with Prince William‘s wife, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. One Daily Mail report even suggested William had “doubts” about the former Suits star before the marriage, leading to a tense meeting between the couples during Christmas 2017.

This year, the two couples are expected to spend part of Christmas together with Queen Elizabeth at Sandringham in Norfolk before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge go to their home to spend time with their children.

Another rumor this week suggested that Middleton and William skipped a board meeting for the Royal Foundation last week, while Markle and Harry were there. However, Kensington Palace said Middleton and William were not required to be there and the meeting mostly focused on projects Markle and Harry are working on.

While Kensington Palace rarely comments on specific rumors, a spokesperson did deny a report that Markle and Middleton had an “explosive” argument before the wedding, in which Middleton allegedly told Markle not to yell at staff members.

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