She is the newest member of the Sussex Survivors Club, having become the 11th publicist in five years to leave Prince Harry and Meghan's employ.

Fevered speculation swirls over the circumstances of her departure, especially given claims the couple are notoriously difficult to work for.

Now, I can reveal the decision by PR chief Meredith Maines to step down from overseeing Archewell Philanthropies' communications has sparked a furious spin war.

For while some say she left under a dark cloud after the bungled handling of a celebrity birthday celebration, others claim she has gone out on a high, having achieved her goal of reuniting Harry with the King in September.

Early last month, rumours raged of an ugly rift between Meghan and 'momager' to the Kardashian clan Kris Jenner, 70, after Ms Jenner removed a photo of the Sussexes from her birthday Instagram post.

Journalists across the pond were immediately briefed by the Sussexes' team, and told that Meghan, 44, and Harry, 41, had signed a 'no photo' consent form ahead of attending the star–studded birthday bash. 

Sources close to the Kardashian matriarch strongly denied there had been any forms and said that they had taken them down after a 'request'.

The Sussexes then denied that they had asked for the images to come down. Like many of these tense celeb briefing spats, the row appeared, at some point, to fizzle out, rendering the whole episode a bit of a storm in a teacup.

Not, however, for Ms Maines, sources claim. For, fuelling rumours that her departure from Archewell, previously known as the Archewell Foundation, was less than triumphant, The Mail on Sunday can reveal that although the news of her leaving was announced on Friday evening, she actually resigned in mid–November – just days after the Kris Jenner saga exploded.

The decision by PR chief Meredith Maines (pictured) to step down from overseeing Archewell Philanthropies' communications has sparked a furious spin war

Ms Maines was seen meeting the King's press secretary, Tobyn Andreae, in July, a move which is believed to have paved the way for Harry to briefly see his father

When this newspaper asked Ms Maines in late November if she had left the Sussexes she described it as a 'ridiculous' suggestion. Ridiculous indeed.

According to a source, her time in the role was seen as unsuccessful, whether because of her own decisions or how events unfolded. The source adds that if she has stepped down, it appears to be an effort to protect her image before matters deteriorated further, and the departure does not seem especially amicable.

Another source told me previously: 'When anything negative comes out, someone has to pay. It is a miserable and impossible job. Meghan will get disappointed by one thing and then ice someone out. She will never let you live it down or forget how you let her down and neither will Harry.'