Prince William hires crisis manager as Meghan 'plans return trip to UK with Harry'

Prince William is said to have made a big new hire to kick off 2026

The Prince of Wales has hired a crisis management expert as the royal family navigates Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's fall from grace and its fragile relationship with the Sussexes.

It's a bold move from the future King, who is putting his trust in the new staffer to help ride the wave of scrutiny the monarchy faces. The new hire is Liza Ravenscroft, who was once described as 'bulletproof sunshine' by a previous boss.

She has been recruited from communications company Edelman, where she runs the UK Crisis & Issues team, working "arm in arm with big names facing their toughest times". It's no secret that Prince William and his extended family have faced their most difficult challenges yet in recent years, with Princess Kate and King Charles' respective cancer diagnoses, the late Queen's death and Prince Harry and Meghan's ongoing attacks on the monarchy.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have faced a very difficult few years

But it's Andrew's various scandals that have caused the most upheaval - the latest being his close relationship with the late paedophile financer Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew, who was accused by Epstein victim Virginia Guiffre of sexual assault, has vehemently denied claims against him.

It's claimed that Ms Ravenscroft has been recommended by Julian Payne, a former communications secretary to Charles and Queen Camilla and the now-CEO of Edelman. A source told the Mail on Sunday that Payne has 'stayed close' to the monarch, adding: "It is unlikely to be a coincidence that one of his most senior and respected members of staff has taken a key role in William's office after a period of turmoil - and when they are looking for closer alignment between Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace as minds turn to William's eventual succession".

The Mirror understands that Ms Ravenscroft will be operating in a 'non crisis' role - we have reached out to her for further comment. Describing her talents and day-to-day work, Ms Ravenscroft's Linkedin page reads: "It's often front page stuff: from boycott campaigns to sexual allegations to serious safety issues, geopolitical and ethical risks, I'm all about human-led response direct to the audiences which matter."

Liza Ravenscroft is a crisis management expert

The crisis guru's CV boasts roles at Marriott Hotels and British Airways. She describes herself as someone who "who believes in the power of strong relationships to defend and charm in equal measure".

Andrew has been stripped of his royal titles and forced to give up the lease of his current 30-room mansion Royal Lodge, given the latest revelations about his association with billionaire paedophile Epstein. His ex wife Sarah Ferguson has also given up her Duchess title and will also be vacating the property. The move is said to be set for Easter.

It comes as Prince Harry's wife Meghan is reportedly planning to return to the UK for the first time in four years. The Duchess of Sussex is set to visit one of the Invictus Games events in Birmingham on July 10, if the couple's security is approved. It would be her first time back since attending Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022.

The US-based couple's arrival depends on if security is paid for by the taxpayer

A source told the Sun, security is "always going to be the deciding factor" when it comes to the 44-year-old American returning to the UK with her husband. Harry is set to hear the result of his taxpayer-funded security review this month. Ravec is a committee of police, royal, and government experts that is reviewing the Duke of Sussex's bid for taxpayer-funded armed security. Previously, Harry has said he didn't think it was safe for him to bring his family home. But, if the review goes well, it could pave the way for Meghan to return to the UK for the first time in four years.

It's believed that William has not spoken to his estranged younger brother since the late Queen's funeral, despite Harry's reunion with his dad Charles in the UK last year. According the Daily Mail's royal editor Rebecca English, the King felt "slightly railroaded" into his reunion with Harry and still remains wary of him. Back in September, estranged father and son had their first face to face meeting in 19 months when they had tea together for 55 minutes at Clarence House during Harry's trip to the UK.

But after the reunion, it was later reported that the meeting had been "distinctly formal" - although Harry hit back, saying there were sources "intent on sabotaging any reconciliation between father and son". It was later reported that the King had been left saddened and perplexed by Harry's statement.