Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's global press secretary has announced she will be stepping away from her role with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to create her own firm.

Ashley Hansen, the couple's PR chief for more than two years, recently heaped praised on her boss following an article in the Hollywood Reporter last month that called Meghan 'Duchess Difficult' and accused her of reducing grown men to tears.

Leaping to the Duchess' defence, Ashley she'd felt 'personally supported' by the Montecito-based mother-of-two and her royal husband. 

And she's certainly not severed relations with the couple entirely, as the Sussexes will be clients at her LA-based consulting firm, Three Gate Strategies.

Ashley will continue to represent and advise the Duke and Duchess, whilst providing oversight to their international communications team. 

Commenting on the change, Meghan said in a statement: 'We are so proud of Ashley, especially as a female entrepreneur. 

'We look forward to having her focused expertise on our business and creative projects and her continued oversight of our communications team. 

'My husband and I are excited to be alongside Ashley as she builds something extraordinarily special with her firm.'

Ashley, meanwhile, said: 'I am incredibly grateful to The Duke and Duchess for their continued trust in me. Their unwavering support and belief in my new firm has been meaningful and is a testament to their leadership. 

'I knew when they first hired me that they were giving me the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn’t be happier to continue working together.'

Specialising in communications and brand management for distinguished individuals and organisations, Three Gates Strategies client roster includes high-profile individuals across entertainment, tech, and finance.

The company - which is fully supported by the Duke and Duchess - came about after Ashley was approached by other clients who were seeking the high-quality counsel she has provided to the Sussexes.

The name of the company derives from the Persian poet Rumi - 'Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates. Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?'

Stung by the recent accusations in The Hollywood Reporter, Ashley was one of a string of the Sussexes loyal current and former staff members who offered a glowing account of their working lives to US Weekly magazine in the States.

Ashley said they treated her with 'the kind of concern and care a parent would express if it were their own child' when she took time off for surgery, adding that they also sent flowers and gifts.

'Meghan would personally reach out to my husband daily to make sure that we both were OK and had support. It meant so much to him and even more to me. You don't realise how much that kind of kindness and thought means until you need it,' she insisted.

Despite the gushing words from both sides about Ashley's new venture, she is the 19th person to have quit working for the Sussexes, following Josh Kettler who quit as chief of staff in August after just three months. 

But Josh insists he was 'warmly welcomed' by both Harry and Meghan and describes them as 'dedicated and hardworking'. 

The exposé in the Hollywood Reporter claiming the Duchess is a 'dictator in high heels' was sourced from someone 'very high up' still working for the couple, it was claimed.

That article also said Meghan 'doesn't take advice' and has reduced 'grown men to tears' as she 'barks' orders.

The Hollywood Reporter also described the couple as 'poor decision-makers' who 'change their minds frequently'.

Maer Roshan, co-editor-in-chief of the publication, has subsequently said he stands by the story, despite a backlash amongst supporters of the Sussexes.

Mr Roshan said they spoke to around a dozen people who had worked closely with Harry and Meghan 'now and previously'.

He also told Access Hollywood that 'our reporter talked to one very high up source who works for the couple who said everyone is ­terrified of Meghan'. They say the Duchess 'belittles people' and 'doesn't take advice'.

Although they have not commented officially, a source 'close' to Harry and Meghan previously rejected the claims. 

They also pointed out that a note on her email signature which says staff should not feel obligated to respond outside of normal business hours was further proof she wasn't demanding.

Meghan herself has always strongly denied claims of bullying staff, claiming they were part of a 'calculated smear campaign'.

Mr Roshan added: 'Duchess Difficult is a nickname that has trailed Meghan for quite a few years.

'What is new is that this notion, since coming to America, that a lot of these rumours were manufactured by the Palace and the reporting that we did suggests that probably isn't true and there is still this undercurrent of fear.'

Buckingham Palace launched its own investigation after the bullying allegations were made public but refused to reveal the findings.