Hollywood super-agent and power broker Ari Emanuel has confirmed for the first time that he has parted ways with the Duchess of Sussex, saying it’s a ‘great thing’.
Meghan signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) Group in April 2023, in a deal aimed at promoting content production and brand partnerships.
Her WME team also included Jill Smoller, the agent for Meghan’s tennis star friend Serena Williams, as well as Brad Slater, who represents Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
But reports then emerged in February last year claiming that WME had dropped Meghan and she had not had a meeting with Mr Emanuel since January 2024.
WME insisted at the time that it was still working with the duchess, specifically on projects related to her Archewell Foundation with husband Prince Harry.
Now, the Sunday Times has confirmed in an interview with Mr Emanuel to promote his new memoir Roll the Calls that he and Meghan parted ways last year.
Asked where he thinks her career is heading, Mr Emanuel told the newspaper’s magazine: ‘Here’s the great thing: I don’t have to think about that any more.’
A source confirmed to the Daily Mail today that Mr Emanuel is no longer on Meghan’s team – but she is still being represented by WME, which is based in Beverly Hills.
William Morris Endeavor executive chairman Ari Emanuel, 65, and his wife Sarah Staudinger, 37, at the Cannes Film Festival
Mr Emanuel’s book was ghostwritten by John Moehringer, who was also behind Harry’s controversial memoir Spare which was published in January 2023.
He is one of the entertainment industry’s most powerful figures, having founded the Endeavor talent agency in 1995 which merged with WMA in 2009.
The Chicago-born WME executive chairman was also an inspiration for the fictional super-agent Ari Gold played by Jeremy Piven in HBO comedy-drama Entourage.
Since Harry and Meghan flew back to the UK a month ago after six years living in the US, they have been involved in a public spat with Buckingham Palace about their status, and their children have moved schools after issues were raised by their security team about the school run.
The Sussexes stepped down as working royals in 2020 for personal and financial reasons, but rumours remain rife as to why they unexpectedly relocated to the UK from California, where they had created a life away from the institution of the monarchy.
Speculation ranges from the couple wanting their children to develop a closer relationship with their grandfather King Charles, Meghan seeking a return to acting and the Sussexes wanting to increase their profile.
In the run-up to their return, Charles was said to be glad to be able to spend more time with the family but remained adamant they would not be working royals, and there was no half-in, half-out option.
Within two weeks of arriving, there was reported pushback from Harry and Meghan after a letter, authorised by the King, was circulated by the Lord Chamberlain to senior stakeholders in the Government and military reiterating the couple were ‘private citizens’ and setting out guidance on how they should be treated.
The duke and duchess were said to be ‘surprised’ by the formal letter and the couple, who are waiting to hear whether they will be given taxpayer-funded security, were reported to prefer the term ‘public figures’ instead.
Harry and Meghan at the David Foster Foundation 40th anniversary celebration in Victoria, Canada – the last public engagement they attended together before moving back to the UK
Schooling has also been an issue for the Sussexes, with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet moved to a new undisclosed institution after reportedly just two days in class.
The decision came after heavy traffic and the lengthy journey to the school reportedly put their security team under strain.
PR guru Mark Borkowski said earlier this month that the couple’s return to Britain underlined their failure to achieve the success they had hoped for in the US.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘It is a wounded brand. Leaving the US suggests Meghan has no power. No one is buying it any longer.
‘The Meghan tragedy is that she has enjoyed unlimited access to amplification and, in reality, a steadily diminishing supply of affection.
‘The Harry and Meghan brand isn’t dead, but it has begun to resemble a glittering palace chandelier hanging by one screw: glamorous, expensive and increasingly unwise to stand underneath.’
Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, also told Newsweek that Meghan had lost her chance to become an A-lister by leaving the US.
‘This is the kiss of death to stardom in America for both of them. They got beaten like a rented mule during this process,’ he said. ‘There may be a B-list acting career, but there’s going to be tremendous friction, largely because most people don’t care.
‘Their strength was in giving back, and I think they were happiest when they did that. Maybe they’ll find their way back to it because that’s where they can really do good and find deeper meaning.’