Who is Amy Pickerill? Everything you need to know about Meghan Markle’s assistant

Yesterday, as Meghan Markle undertook her first solo engagement with the Queen in Cheshire, there was one woman sat in the shadows making sure the day was smooth sailing: The Duchess’ assistant private secreatary Amy Pickerill.

In January, Pickerill made her first public appearance with the royals during their visit to Cardiff Castle, where she was photographed helping Meghan pass the masses of excited well-wishers.

And she must have done a good job because a promotion shortly followed: HuffPost reports Pickerill was appointed Meghan’s private secretary assistant on February 19, exactly three months before the royal wedding.

Here’s what you need to know about Meghan’s right-hand woman:

Who is Amy Pickerill and how did she get her job with the royals?

Pickerill grew up in Walton-on Thames, in Surrey, the Mail Online reports. She graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2007 with a BA in History and began studying at City, University of London where she achieved a Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism.

Following university, Pickerill scored the job of press officer at the HM Treasury before moving on to the Royal Bank of Scotland. Here, she worked up the ranks until becoming the head of campaigns and regional media in 2015.

It’s not known how she made he transition from banking to palace life, but in September 2016 she landed her role as the senior communications officer to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

The Mail Online reports Meghan is earning a salary of £30,000 and upwards in her current position.

What will she do for Meghan?

Aside from managing the Duchess’s hefty schedule, handling official correspondences, and booking appointments, Pickerill will put her media relations experience to good use.

“Amy will need to advise her on what to do and what not to do,” Dickie Arbiter, the Queen’s former press secretary, told HuffPost. “What she can’t do is make political statements or comments and get involved in controversies.”

Aside from this, we can expect to see her everywhere Meghan goes, making sure things run smoothly.

Pickerill will no doubt act as a key support support system for the Duchess who, let’s not forget, is rather new to this whole thing.

There’s no doubt about one thing: many people would kill to have Pickerill’s job.

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