Prince Harry may have relinquished his royal title, but as a new California resident, he’s picked up another one: startup executive.
The Duke of Sussex will become chief impact officer of online coaching service BetterUp. As the newest executive, Prince Harry will help with product strategy and charitable contributions and will serve as a public advocate for issues like mental health, one of the company’s priorities.
The company did not disclose details about his employment agreement or compensation.
The news comes a little more than a year after Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, announced they were giving up their royal titles after stepping back from the royal family. The couple later revealed, in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, that they struggled with mental health issues, harassment by British tabloids, and racism, which ultimately forced them to leave the U.K.
Since then, the couple have relocated to Santa Barbara and begun working on Archewell, an organization that will include a foundation focused on spreading compassion, along with a media production branch aimed at telling diverse and inspiring stories; they are expected to roll out new TV shows and movies on Netflix and podcasts on Spotify. Markle has spoken out about the harms of social media, and the couple have become mental health advocates.
Prince Harry’s new employer, BetterUp, has raised a total of $292.7 million in funding since its inception in 2013, according to PitchBook. Led by CEO Alexi Robichaux, the company offers educational software that aims to help people develop their professional skills. It also offers one-on-one support and coaching from experts in areas including behavioral health, nutrition, and digital learning. The company was valued at $1.73 billion following a funding round in February.
Prince Harry will not have any direct reports in his new position, but he’s expected to spend some time at the company’s San Francisco headquarters, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the hire. He’s also expected to make appearances at company events.
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