This handout from the Fijian Government taken and released on October 24, 2018 shows Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (2nd L) leaving the municipal market in Suva
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrives at St Charles hospital in west London to visit Smart Works, a charity to which she has become patron on January 10, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)
Pregnant Meghan is ushered out of Suva Municipal Market in Fiji – just seven minutes
after arriving. Photo: Ian Vogler/PA
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrives at St Charles hospital in west London to visit Smart Works, a charity to which she has become patron on January 10, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)
Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave St Mary Magdalene's church after the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Meghan Markle in London. Picture: Kensington Palace/Instagram
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrives for a visit to the Royal Variety Charity's at Brinsworth House on December 18, 2018 in Twickenham, England
Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, arrives to visit the Royal Variety Charity’s residential nursing and care home Brinsworth House, in west London, Britain, December 18, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville
This handout from the Fijian Government taken and released on October 24, 2018 shows Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (2nd L) leaving the municipal market in Suva
One of Meghan Markle's bodyguards has left her post after less than one year because she found the royal's determination to retain the independence of her previous life too challenging to work with.
The woman, an inspector with the Metropolitan Police assigned to cover the British royal family, cannot be named for security reasons, but had a 15-minutes-of-fame moment in Fiji in October when she leapt into action to remove Meghan from a market which became overcrowded and was deemed a safety threat.
Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, is said to be struggling with having a constant security presence and the restraints that come with it.
"Unlike someone who has grown up in the Royal Family and has been used to close protection from an early age, having it can be quite constraining," a source told the Sunday Times.
Pregnant Meghan is ushered out of Suva Municipal Market in Fiji – just seven minutes
after arriving. Photo: Ian Vogler/PA
"Even though she was a famous actress, she could still do what she wanted in the way of getting around freely. But in her current role she can’t go anywhere without her protection team and that’s a massive constraining force on an individual like her."
The woman was brought in last year to oversee the Sussexes entire security operation, replacing Harry's former chief protection officer Sergeant Bill Renshaw, who was in the role for 30 years. The Royalty and Specialist Protection (RASP), a branch with London's Metropolitan Police, are tasked with guarding high profile people in the UK like senior members of the royal family and the prime minister.
The bodyguard's departure marks the third close aide to the Sussex team to leave since the royal wedding last May. Meghan's personal assistant Melissa Touabti left her role after just six months, although the reasons for quitting are still unclear. A long-serving aide to Queen Elizabeth, Samantha Cohen, was tasked with giving the former actress 'duchess lessons' for six months after her wedding and left the role in November, as planned, after 17 years of service.
Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, arrives to visit the Royal Variety Charity’s residential nursing and care home Brinsworth House, in west London, Britain, December 18, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville
Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, arrives to visit the Royal Variety Charity’s residential nursing and care home Brinsworth House, in west London, Britain, December 18, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville