Ex-Archewell boss says Harry and Meghan's royal split drew her to job
Mandana Dayani, the former president of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell organisation, says watching the couple walk away from life as working royals helped persuade her to work for them.
Hello! reported, citing the Daily Mail's Richard Eden, that dissent was part of the draw. Hello! Dayani led Archewell, the organisation the couple founded in 2020 after stepping down as senior working royals, from 2021 until the end of 2022.
She said watching Harry and Meghan dissent against the institution and say "This isn’t right for us" felt brave to her. She called it brave. The wording matters because it puts her decision down to their public break rather than celebrity.
Dayani is an Iranian-American entrepreneur. She joined Archewell as its first chief operating officer, a post expected to cover growth strategy and day-to-day operations, and she reported directly to Harry and Meghan. Fortune
She left after about 18 months. The departure was described at the time as mutually planned and by mutual agreement, with Harry and Meghan taking full leadership of Archewell and no direct replacement named. People Her exit came days before the couple's Netflix documentary was due to air. Mirror
Dayani has spoken warmly about the working relationship since. "We actually had a really great relationship. We still do," she said.
She has talked before about her own history. While growing up in Iran, she said children were forced to chant "death to America" daily. Newsweek She later opened up about her memories of working with Harry and Meghan. Us Magazine
She now hosts The Dissenters, a podcast about social issues built around interviews with activists and advocates. Guests have included Hillary Clinton, Jane Fonda, Eva Longoria and Sophia Bush.
What makes this stand out is the thread between past and present. Dissent is the title of her podcast. It is also the word she uses for Harry and Meghan's choice.
