Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have lost another senior executive at Archewell Productions.
Chanel Pysnik, who spent five and a half years as Head of Nonfiction, Film & TV, is departing the couple’s production company, the Sussexes confirmed in a statement Tuesday. Pysnik, 42, was among the earliest hires when Archewell launched in 2020 and helped shape its entire unscripted slate.
“Chanel was one of our very first hires at Archewell Productions and spearheaded the strategic framework for our unscripted endeavors,” Harry, 42, and Markle, 45, said in their joint statement.
“She brought not only her expertise into the process but also led with her heart in telling beautiful stories. Many successful productions later, her impact and legacy at Archewell is to be celebrated. We are both championing her as she embarks on this next chapter.”
Pysnik’s exit follows a difficult stretch for the company. Last month, Archewell quietly reduced staff at its Raleigh Studios offices in Los Angeles, though an insider clarified those cuts hit production crews tied to specific projects rather than full-time employees. The company now operates with only a handful of remaining staffers.
The departing executive produced several high-profile Archewell releases, including the 2022 Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan,” Markle’s lifestyle show “With Love, Meghan” — canceled after two seasons in January — and Harry’s “Polo” and “Heart of Invictus.” She also worked on “Cookie Queens,” which underperformed commercially.
Pysnik offered her own farewell statement, calling it “an honor to build Archewell Productions alongside Harry and Meghan for nearly six years.”
“Together, we have produced work that has broken records, earned awards and screened at prestigious film festivals,” she continued, “while reaching audiences around the world and contributing to important cultural conversations.”
She added that she’s “incredibly proud of what we have accomplished,” and thanked the couple “for their trust and the opportunity to lead Archewell Productions through such a defining period.”
The Sussexes established Archewell Productions after stepping back from senior royal duties in 2020 and relocating to California. Their Netflix partnership has produced both record-breaking hits and notable setbacks. In March, two anticipated film projects were reported to be stalled in development.
The couple’s Hollywood operations face additional uncertainty following their August move back to the United Kingdom with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. Harry has cited his children’s schooling and a desire to be “closer” to his family as reasons for the return.
Pysnik’s departure marks the latest in a string of high-profile exits from the Sussexes’ business ventures. The turnover has fueled ongoing speculation about working conditions and strategic direction at Archewell, though both parties emphasized mutual respect in their public statements.
The original “Harry & Meghan” docuseries became a defining project for Archewell, drawing massive viewership as the couple detailed their fractured relationship with the royal family. The three-part series featured intimate interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, establishing the template for the company’s personal-first approach to nonfiction storytelling.
Neither Harry nor Markle has addressed whether Pysnik’s role will be filled or how Archewell’s unscripted division will be restructured.