Prince Harry can’t seem to get himself out of hairy situations, at least when he’s in the public eye, even if the situation isn’t that dire. This time, the controversy involves his sudden shift in role at BetterUp, the human coaching platform the ex-royal joined in 2021. Back then, he was its CIO or Chief Impact Officer, but now, he’s been seemingly reduced to Senior Advisor, leaving many to wonder whether something has gone wrong or if he’s lost his edge at the company.
The big news came from BetterUp CEO Alexi Robichaux, who released an official statement about Prince Harry’s transition into his new role as an advisor. As to what Harry will be doing, Robichaux offers little more than corporate speak, with the main focus on the Prince’s existing collaboration to a seemingly lesser degree. This is evident in the statement that this new role gives him more time to “pursue new business opportunities” and “continue his support of philanthropic causes close to his heart.”
Needless to say, many people felt that this was a blow to Prince Harry, with some outlets even calling his former position as Chief Impact Officer his million-dollar job. However, Robichaux never mentioned any salary figures, and The National reported a while back that his compensation hadn’t been publicly disclosed. Still, people are skeptical of whether his usefulness had fallen or whether he had any at all.
Reddit Questioned Whether Harry’s Previous Position at BetterUp Held Enough Merit
“What did he even do there?” questioned a Redditor in r/SaintMeghanMarkle. “Advising on what precisely?! He couldn’t advise someone on how to put their dirty undies in the washing hamper… he is a total dolt!” another commenter exclaimed in r/TheBritishRoyalFamily.
Not everyone was critical of the Duke of Sussex’s change in position. “People on his level bring name and big clients,” a user in r/RoyaltyTea explained, claiming this is more of an opportunity for Harry to actually go out and make a better profit elsewhere. As to what he actually did at the company, the Prince disclosed that information himself back when he joined in 2021.
In a past official blog post, Prince Harry main areas of responsibility were to advocate, spread awareness, and promote the company’s vision and community. Whether he was good at it is up in the air, though he did hold onto the position for over five years. Not to mention, there’s no evidence besides rumors or alleged gossip that he was fired or demoted. Whether any of it is true, countless people still hold Harry to an immensely high standard, and going from executive officer to advisor doesn’t meet that expectation for many.
