S Poddar
Meghan Markle has made her position clear following one of her closest staff members taking a professional leap. Ashley Hansen, who has worked as Global Press Secretary and Head of Communications for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, is starting her own independent PR firm known as Three Gate Strategies.
She is no new comer to the Meghan and Harry team; having been a part of their team for over two years. Her leaving is a huge moment for the Sussexes though a move clearly now having their full endorsement. The fact that Meghan and Harry, spoke only in support of Hansen’s new venture by showing belief in her abilities and by accepting what might have been her possible roles in the projects that they both are undertaking.
Ashley’s new company, Three Gate Strategies, is focused on communications and brand management for influential people and organizations. It follows other initiatives targeted by Meghan Markle since she and Prince Harry left their royal duties to live in the United States in 2020.
This news prompted Meghan to issue a statement on behalf of herself and Prince Harry. The statement did not just testify Ashley’s skills but also became the celebration of her entrepreneurial spirit. Meghan commented, “We are so proud of Ashley, especially as a female entrepreneur. My husband and I are excited to be alongside Ashley as she builds something extraordinarily special with her firm.”
The sentiment behind Meghan’s statement has a sense of continuity and closeness: the closeness the couple feels to their staff and high regard they have for Hansen. Ashley may not be moving full-time for Archewell, that being the Duke and Duchess’s foundation, but she will continue to be an important advisor and communications overseer for some of their projects.
What makes this change momentous are not only professional but also the personal support that Meghan and Harry have exhibited. The couple has always backed women entrepreneurs and leaders. It appears that Ashley’s development falls in place with Meghan’s wider interest in running startups run by women. With their nod to Ashley for the new position, the couple proceeds to support feminism-a cause closest to Meghan’s heart for years now.
It follows much public interest in the professional lives of Meghan and Harry and how their post-royal careers are evolving. The Duke and the Duchess have imprinted themselves on the world through some of the notable high-profile projects that have made a shot into public attention since leaving royal duties; from media productions to advocacy work, Meghan’s focus has developed more into supporting women in business and other ventures such as investment into companies that reflect her values. Hansen’s decision itself, to leave for a start-up venture and a new firm, chimes so well with the larger storyline of creating and promoting female head of households.
What they say, however, is that this departure seems to deprive the Sussexes of something. Much to the contrary, Meghan and Harry have welcomed this opportunity for collaboration. Hansen has already had interest from other A-list clients- proof of her prowess and the quality work she produced in the time she worked for the Sussexes. The couple acknowledged input from her and expressed eagerness to continue benefiting from her insights going forward.
The Three Gate Strategies that were ready to guide communications and brand management will surely take all the skills and knowledge from working with the Duke and Duchess into a more expanded clientele. The public endorsement of Meghan on Hansen’s new stage, beyond being rooted in confidence in Ashley’s capabilities, vindicates continued action on Meghan’s part to grow women-owned companies.
One of the supportive responses that should be attributed to Meghan is about some of the more speculative reports about the challenges that the couple faces among their team. In fact, Meghan’s statement should be seen not as a simple way of parting amicably but in the next stage of carrying on with the same productive and mutual benefit relationship. Ashley’s departure can be seen in the light of natural evolution in the continually growing circle of Meghan and Harry’s circles of trusted advisors.
This latest move does the Sussexes complete with showing that it can be just as much part of their journey to help those around them realize their respective entrepreneurial ambitions, as they continue on building their post-royal careers.
Ashley Hansen’s Three Gate Strategies is the latest endeavor in the chain of companies associated with the husband-and-wife team’s vast community, one that asserts their desire to better the environment around them as they navigate the complex and evolving roles they play in the public eye.
