King Charles has made a major new hire with an exciting switch-up to Buckingham Palace's communications department.
Sky News's royal correspondent, Rhiannon Mills, is set to join the royal household's press office as a media secretary to the King and Queen Camilla. She will be the deputy to Tobyn Andreae, director of communications for the royal household, and is expected to take up the role before the summer.
Rhiannon has covered the royal family for more than a decade, previously interviewing King Charles, Prince Harry, and Prince William. Her partner, Andrew Parsons, works as a photographer for the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Mills has travelled the world with the royals – jetting off on tours to Japan, Africa, Nepal, India, Bhutan, Pakistan, the Middle East, New Zealand, and Australia.
Her profile on the Sky News website outlines how the Duke of Sussex told her about his desire to have a family in 2015, while William spoke to her about the Queen’s support following the death of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
But in 2019, Harry and Rhiannon had a tense exchange in Malawi when she asked him a question without getting authorisation from his press office. "Rhiannon. Don't behave like this," the Prince said. Rhiannon later admitted she found his remarks "patronising", adding that his team was "livid".
© Samir Hussein/WireImageRoyal switch-up
The new announcement follows the departure of Laura Sullivan, who recently left her role as press secretary at the palace to take up a new PR role.
A palace source said: "The exact date of her arrival is yet to be confirmed, but when Rhiannon joins us some time before summer, she will of course bring with her a wealth of broadcasting and digital storytelling experience, combined with deep knowledge of Royal matters accrued over a decade of reporting from 'the frontline of history'."
© Getty ImagesThey said she would be an "invaluable asset" to the King and Queen, crediting her "intelligence, quick thinking, good humour and wise judgment".
"Royal Communications has been adapting to a multimedia age in which we have been finding new and creative ways to demonstrate the work of the Royal Family to the widest possible audience in the widest number of ways," the source added.
Jonathan Levy, executive editor and managing director of Sky News, said: "Rhiannon has made a great contribution to Sky News. Especially on the royal beat, where she has reported on an especially eventful period in the royal family’s history. We wish Rhiannon the very best in her new role with King Charles."
Tense times
Rhiannon will join the press team at a tense time for the royal family, as the Firm faces the fallout from the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor last month.
During the Commonwealth Day service last week, a large protest was staged by anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, with activists holding large yellow placards reading, "What did you know? What are you hiding?"
It comes after The Times reported that the investigation into Andrew is reportedly set to widen beyond misconduct in public office.
Detectives are understood to be widening their investigation to other potential offences, including a corruption probe and sex trafficking offences, the paper claimed.
