What we know about Meghan Markle's private secretary Samantha Cohen

The Duchess of Sussex is set to lose a second close aide after her baby arrives in spring 2019, according to The Times.

Meghan’s private secretary Samantha Cohen, 50, will resign next year, after working for the Royal Family for 17 years. It comes after Meghan’s personal assistant Melissa Toubati left her post six months after the wedding.

Nicknamed ‘Samantha the Panther,’ Ms Cohen is the Queen’s former assistant private secretary and communications secretary.

While there have been claims that the Duchess is “demanding” and “difficult” to work for, Yahoo UK understands the resignation is not out of the blue.

Australian-born Cohen actually handed in her notice last September, following the departure of Lord Geidt (the Queen’s former private secretary) but agreed to stay as interim private secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Kensington Palace for an additional six months.

She has temporarily replaced Harry’s outgoing secretary Edward Lane Fox.

“Sam will be a huge loss,” a source 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.”

Ms Cohen has been guiding Meghan through her first few months as a new member of the Royal Family.

The royal advisor reportedly helped the Duchess on her first outing after the wedding in May, at a Buckingham Palace garden party to celebrate Prince Charles’ 70th birthday. She was also present on the couple’s royal tour of Australia in October.

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