Princess Kate is set to face a big change when it comes to her royal working life after it emerged that her close confidante Natasha Archer, who is currently her and Prince William’s senior private executive assistant, is resigning. While The Princess of Wales, 43, has not publicly commented on this, it is believed she is supportive of her long-term employee, who has also become a good friend.
Although Natasha, who has also been an unofficial stylist to Princess Kate, has worked for Kensington Palace for over a decade, it seems she is now ready to step out and carve her own path with her own business. Since news of her resignation was made public earlier this week, it soon emerged that the mum-of-two was leaving her position in the royal household to instead set up a private luxury consultancy agency.
Now, it is believed that Princess Kate will have a new ‘right-hand woman’, and it is someone she reportedly already knows.
As reported by Hello!, royal fans on social media think that Virginia Chadwyck-Healey, known as Ginnie, could take over the role Natasha had when it comes to being a confidante and advisor for Kate.
It is reported that Ginnie, who is a former Vogue editor, is no stranger to the Princess of Wales, having temporarily styled Kate when Natasha was on maternity leave in 2019.
She was also believed to have known Kate during their time at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, even receiving an invite to Kate and Prince William’s wedding in 2011.
Ginnie is currently head of her consultancy firm VCH Style, and is also the founder of The Fairground, which supports ethical and socially conscious fashion businesses.
While Kensington Palace has not confirmed who is taking over Natasha’s role, Hello! reports that Kate’s mum Carole Middleton also wore a dress from the Beulah x VCH limited-edition collection to Wimbledon this week – a potential sign that Ginnie could be taking on a role with the princess in the near future.
It is not known when Natasha’s final day working with Prince William and Princess Kate will be.
It is likely Natasha and Kate will stay in touch privately, having forged a close friendship over the years to the extent in which the employee was one of the first to see Kate in hospital after the birth of Prince George in 2013.
She was also one of a few people to be seen visiting Princess Kate at The London Clinic in January 2024 when the princess was recovering from abdominal surgery. Royal biographer Claudia Joseph, author of Kate: The Making of a Princess, once told Fabulous that the two women “have a lot in common” and a “close bond”.