Of Iranian heritage, she held a pivotal role as the right-hand confidante of the Sussexes at Archwell, where she was responsible for the meticulous supervision of daily operations. However, her tenure in this position was relatively brief, spanning just 18 months. Unfortunately, Dayani's departure is part of a larger trend, as 13 senior figures have resigned from their positions associated with the couple since 2018. This includes Toy Hurse, Archwell's Global Press Secretary, who parted ways earlier this year, and Katherine St. Laurent, who served as Chief of Staff and a Director of Archwell, leaving in March 2021, barely a year into her role.
Ashley Hansen, the Global Press Secretary for Meghan and Harry, officially announced Dayani's departure, expressing gratitude for her passion, unwavering commitment, and her remarkable leadership. This transition was carefully planned, with the intention that the Duke and Duchess would assume full leadership of the organization. It is important to note that there are no plans to fill Dayani's role, and the separation was amicable, with the intention of maintaining a friendly relationship.
As President of Archwell, Mandana Dayani played a crucial role in overseeing the couple's production and audio companies, as well as their nonprofit foundation. She was also a key player in the development and launch of "Archetypes," the Spotify podcast hosted by Meghan. Notably, her departure comes just weeks before the highly anticipated and somewhat controversial Netflix series about the couple is set to launch.
In recent news, Meghan and Harry issued a statement on the Israel-Palestine situation, aligning themselves with Prince William and Princess Katherine on the same day. However, their statement differed slightly from that of the Prince and Princess of Wales, as the Sussexes condemned the organization responsible for a deadly attack on Israel. In contrast, Dayani had taken a more assertive stance on the conflict.
Mandana Dayani has now signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents a roster of prominent talents including George Clooney, Beyoncé, Brad Pitt, and Kate Blanchett. It is worth noting that her affiliation with Meghan ended shortly before the Netflix special.
On another note, United Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer has publicly criticized Meghan Markle, questioning her talent in the wake of Harry and Meghan's lucrative Spotify podcast deal. Zimmer, who has represented major stars throughout his career, including Mariah Carey, Bryan Cranston, DJ Khaled, Chelsea Handler, and Kevin Hart, bluntly stated that Megan Markle was not a great audio talent and emphasized that fame alone does not guarantee greatness in a particular field.
Interestingly, it was revealed in April that Meghan had signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME), a rival Hollywood talent agency to United Talent Agency. WME represents a roster of major stars, including Dwayne Johnson, Adele, and tennis sensation Serena Williams. However, speculation abounds that Meghan might face the possibility of being dropped by her talent agency as the ongoing saga surrounding Sco's book continues to unfold.
Royal expert Angela Levan has indicated that WME is deeply concerned about the potential fallout from Sco's book and is reportedly horrified by the implications it could have for the Sussexes' rebranding efforts. Levan asserted that this sense of concern isn't solely limited to the two names mentioned in the book but extends to their client, Meghan. She further noted that it appears WME will carefully deliberate their next steps, as it's highly unusual for such a renowned agency to be so explicit about their sentiments. Levan concluded by emphasizing the need for Meghan to exercise caution, given that there has been a growing sentiment of dissatisfaction among some quarters with her actions.
