Prince Harry Lands Job at a Silicon Valley Startup

It’s been two weeks since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a bombshell interview that delved into everything from the latter’s contemplation of suicide to instances of the monarchy’s alleged racism. (Buckingham Palace is now reportedly on the hunt for a “diversity czar.”) The pair was astoundingly candid, but the conversation centered entirely on the past. The present, meanwhile, finds Harry working at a Silicon Valley startup.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Harry is the new “chief impact officer” of BetterUp Inc., a little-known personalized coaching company focused on career performance and mental health. (The job title is rarely used, save for in the realm of nonprofits.) “I intend to help create impact in people’s lives,” Harry told the Journal via email. “Proactive coaching provides endless possibilities for personal development, increased awareness, and an all-round better life.”

Such “a meaningful and meaty role,” as BetterUp CEO Alexi Robichaux described the position, has been in the works since last fall when he met Harry through a mutual friend. While the Duke of Sussex won’t have any direct reports or employees to manage, Robichaux considers Harry an “officer of the corporation,” meaning he’ll participate in all-hands meetings and occasionally make the trek to BetterUp’s San Francisco headquarters. (He declined to offer any details on Harry’s employment agreement, including compensation.)

It’s no surprise that Harry is seeking another form of revenue, seeing as his days of living off the royal purse are in the past. “My family literally cut me off financially,” he told Winfrey, explaining the consequences of stepping back. “But I've got what my mum left me, and without that, we would not have been able to do this.” The Sussexes have also signed major content deals with both Spotify and Netflix, so it seems like they’ll be alright.