Who Is Melissa Touabti? Details About Meghan Markle's Former Personal Assistant And The Sketchy Reason She Suddenly Quit
A key member handed in her notice for her prestigious position.
getty Early in November, The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle lost one of her key staff members, igniting speculation about her alleged "difficult" ways.
Melissa Touabti, 39, was Markle’s personal assistant for just six months. She entered the position at the time of the royal wedding in May … then handed in her notice in November. She is reportedly not the first member of Harry and Meghan’s staff to leave their positions.
Kensington Palace recently issued a statement regarding Markle and her sister-in-law Kate Middleton's rumored rocky relationship, and now Markle is facing allegations of being a diva.
Being involved with the royal family can seem like a fairytale dream job, just below being a member of the royal family. So why did Markle's personal assistant quit?
Here’s what we know about Touabti and the situation.
1. Touabti used to work for Robbie Williams.
Touabti worked for the former Take That star, as well as his wife, Ayda Field, for a longer period of time than she did for Markle. Williams has close ties to the Royal Family, suggesting he and his wife may have put in a good word for Touabti, who “happily” worked for Williams, according to reports. A source called Williams “a lively character,” so Touabti was used to having her hands full.
2. She was "pivotal" to the Royal Wedding's success.
The palace released a statement paying tribute to Touabti, which is a “highly unusual move,” according to Daily Mail. “Melissa is a hugely talented person. She played a pivotal role in the success of the Royal Wedding and will be missed by everyone in the Royal Household,” the statement read.
3. Markle allegedly left Toubati in tears.
A source told the Mirror the reason why Touabti left what many consider a dream job. “Her job was highly pressurized and in the end it became too much,” the source revealed. "She put up with quite a lot. Meghan put a lot of demands on her and it ended up with her in tears.”
For someone that has worked with stars before, this is rather telling.
It's also reportedly not the first time Markle has left someone in tears. According to a source, Markle's "stressful" demands before the Royal Wedding brought Middleton to tears. “Kate had only just given birth to her third child, Prince Louis, and was feeling quite emotional,” a source said.
4. Markle is reportedly a "diva."
This is not the first report of the Duchess’ harsh behavior. Royal biographer Robert Jobson, the author of Charles at Seventy, wrote that Markle became a bridezilla during wedding preparations. It even allegedly took a toll on Prince Harry, who is reported to have "raised his voice on occasion" and claiming “what Meghan wants, she gets.”
Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne, Markle’s former agent, told Daily Mail about Markle’s attitude even before the wedding, calling her “ruthless” regarding her time and particular about her “vision,” dismissing clothes and colleagues that did not mesh well with it.
5. Markle's dad has reportedly defended his daughter
Thomas Markle made waves leading up to the royal wedding in May. Although he is now estranged from his daughter, he continues to support her.
The Daily Star reported what he had to say about recent “attacks” on Markle: “It hurts me deeply that one of the sweetest young women anyone could hope to meet is being trashed and bashed at every turn by a British establishment hell-bent on belittling her,” he said. “All this is happening when she’s expecting her first child. Instead of support, she’s getting nothing but flak from so-called Palace sources blowing nasty gossip and innuendo into huge so-called stories.”
Alison Cerri is an editorial intern at YourTango. When she's not writing, she can be found on a run or at rugby practice. Follow her on Instagram.
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