Shortly after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Oprah interview, Clarence House and Kensington Palace hired two PR people who were referred to, at the time, as “crisis managers.” I have no idea if those people are still in their jobs (I doubt it), but once those crisis managers went to work, there were some changes. One of the biggest changes? It was announced that Jason Knauf would step back from palace work at the end of 2021. The excuse for Knauf’s dismissal was that his husband had a new job overseas. But he was pushed out, and by all accounts, it was Prince Charles telling the Cambridges that Knauf had to go. There was some confusion and conspiracies about whether Knauf would really go. Well, he has.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are saying goodbye to their longtime chief executive Jason Knauf. After announcing his departure last May, Knauf’s role has now ended. Knauf joined the household in 2015 as communications secretary, later working as senior advisor. He later became CEO of the Royal Foundation.
“Serving as Communications Secretary and then Foundation CEO has been the privilege of my career,” Kanuf wrote on Linkedin. “We’ve built powerful platforms like Heads Together, The Earthshot Prize, and the Centre for Early Childhood. I’ve travelled to 36 countries and to every corner of the U.K. And I’ve made amazing new friends along the way. I’ve been so proud to support the unique, optimistic leadership of The Duke and Duchess during a period where we’ve confronted a pandemic, the climate crisis, a seismic shift in our attitudes to mental health, and so much more,” he added.
Knauf is leaving to join his husband in India on a diplomatic posting.
I wonder who will be the Cambridges’ new Royal Foundation CEO? It’s weird that we haven’t heard anything about that, especially considering it’s such a big position (lol). Knauf will obviously leave a huge gap in the Cambridges’ lives and their office. Knauf styled himself as a smart PR guru, a go-to man who helped turn a reticent, petulant princeling into a “future king.” None of that was true, of course. If anything, Knauf enabled and encouraged William’s worst instincts, and Knauf was seen as expendable enough last year for William to use him to go after Meghan and “help” the Mail’s defense. It will be funny to see if Knauf ever gets any “top CEO” job after he exposed himself so thoroughly in Meghan’s lawsuit against the Mail. It will also be funny to see what kind of clownery KP gets up to in Knauf’s absence.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.
“Jason is expected to pursue his dream of being acknowledged as the mysterious “Fifth Trump.”
I know, he looks just like Don Jr! Thanks for making me laugh so hard!!!
I had the same thought! It makes me think just a little bit more that maybe we really are living in a simulation, and there is an “evil stooge” skin that is used for all slimebags like Knauf and Trump Jr.
Real question.
36 countries? The cams go nowhere. So how did he travel so extensively?
On our taxpayer money.
Good catch. Before he joined, they did their big tours of Australia and New Zealand, and they toured the Solomon Islands and I think one other country in that region. But that was before him.
Since his tenure, I can think of Canada, India, Bhutan, Jordan, Israel (assuming he went with William a few years ago), Pakistan, China maybe? (I can’t remember if William has done a solo trip to Asia or not) and I do think William did a solo trip to New Zealand at some point so presumably he would have gone there, but that could be a faulty memory at work ha.
Then we have Sweden and Norway in 2018, the Poland/Germany trip – but I can’t remember if that was before or after 2015, I think it was 2017. And there have been a few trips to france, one was a few days and some for ceremonies relating to World War I.
So…….13? I have no idea where he’s getting these other 23 countries from, unless he’s counting all their holidays, and even then – he goes with them?
He must vacation with them, that would explain why he has traveled to so many countries.
Yessss, Merricat! 😂 Came to say the same thing, haha.
@Merricat I can’t stop laughing at this comment. 😀
It is so weird how they made Knauf so prominent in the last few months. He’s been showing up to events with W and K in a way that I don’t think we have ever seen with the equivalent person for Charles, much less the queen. Does Charles bring out the CEO of the Princes Trust like this?
If Charles made them get rid of Knauf, this parading of him at various events seems like some sort of petty childish rebellion from William and Kate.
Meanwhile do we even know if Kate has a new press Secretary since Catherine Quinn left 2 years ago? We never hear mention of that. (I know kate barely works, but Knauf seems to be fluffing her as much as William)
@Nic919: Kate’s new Private Secretary is Hannah Cockburn-Logie, she’s a former diplomat and she has been at KP since June 2020.
Miss Cockburn Logic is so aptly named if she is working for Big Willy!
I think Will and Kate have so much confidence within the institution that they don’t care because they know they won’t get held accountable. Courtiers took their side the media and the government too they get bold, with that said that doesn’t mean they’re not still insecure about Harry and Meghan.
I think other CEOs are brought out, and even photographed. They just don’t make the news. Their names aren’t featured prominently in stories unless there’s a scandal. Jason’s American, as soon as he was named in the bullying accusation, I told my sister he’s the fall guy.
I think he’s the one they’re going to pin everything on, along with Kate. Kate’s jealousy and Jason’s racism led to all the attacks on Meghan. William and the rest of the RF will not take the fall.
Harry could change that story if he wants. He was there for most of JK’s tenure.
They have to treat him well; he knows all the secrets and they owe him.
I think they were using the outings as somesort of networking thing to enable him to land another Job. i have no doubt he will be able to find something when he is stationed in India. probbly end up opposite H &M with vaccine equity.
I think he was made prominent intentionally. when you need to pin the blame on someone for something like Sussexit or the Great Smear Campaign or the bullying accusations to the Times…you need a big name. Like if KP announced that Suzie Simmons was being let go bc she was leaking to the press and that fixes ALL the issues, everyone would say, “who?” But now they are getting Knauf’s name out there as much as possible and so when he is blamed fully for the bullying story, not just leaking it but everything about it, people will know who he is.
I completely agree. I don’t know what they promised him, but it can’t have been enough for his self respect.
@Christina, we know that no matter what it is, William won’t be able to deliver (as usual).
I have a completely irrational hope that his stunt with the DM/Meghan’s lawsuit has rendered him unhireable, and that he gets angry enough about this that it prompts him to write a tell-all. It would make enough $$ for him to be able to pay whatever punitive fines he’d get slapped with for violating his NDA. It will never happen, but a girl can dream!
I don’t think it’s the last time we will hear from him and I don’t believe he’s really leaving he’ll be scheming in the background.
I still want to know what personal vendetta it is he has against Meghan. Because the way he’s been acting not only with the court case but also in one of kate birthday pr puff pieces where he’s been making sly digs at Meghan. He really hates her and i want to know why.
Me too. He reminds me of Gary Janetti.
Seriously, what axe does he have to grind against Meghan? For him to break an NDA, it’s like she killed his puppy or something.
If I had to guess, I’d say she made him look stupid or incompetent or small. Probably unintentionally.
I think he lusts for Harry like his bestie Dan Rotten
Wasn’t Knauf the one who planted that inexperienced nanny/spy in the Sussexes’ home? He probably took it personally when she was found out/exposed and fired.
Also, don’t forget: he’s the only one whose phone number Terrible Tom had. Meghan probably called him out on that so his only defense was to go on offense, as is the tried and true Republican way.
I think his vindictiveness is a snowballed conflation of big things and small dislikes: angry at seeing Melissa Toubati fired, having his authority questioned and look incompetent in KP (perhaps being told off before she and Harry set up shop under BP), resenting M as another American and a better professional, and also being eager to cater to W and K at every turn.
While I don’t see him openly occupying another royal prestige position (especially if he’s a designated fall guy), I wonder if he’s got any “freelance consultant”-type loose employment left with them.
I’m gonna toss in some racist who doesn’t like assertive biracial women in that mix too.
Yep @Lexistential.
He looks like a weasel and certainly acts like one.
The racist p.o.s. is in India? 🤣 Well as long as he stays in the diplomatic compound, I suppose he’ll unfortunately survive. How someone as racist as he is, will cope on India would be a sight to see 🤔
Imagine he will be hanging out with British government people mostly. His husband is the head of communications for the British govt in India.
Many Indians are actually racists towards black people. We have several cases of Africans lynched in India.
I’ve been wondering if they were actually going to let him go or try and quietly keep him around. This guy is such a snake and I’m happy to see him being booted out. While I understand everything he has done was sanctioned by W&K, he also comes off as having had a personal vendetta in everything that went down. He clearly hated Meghan so so much that he was perfectly happy to go along with trying to ruin her life. William’s going to have a to find a new yes man now. Kate’s a top CEO–maybe she’s up to the job.
Keen already has a job. She has to stroke the last of W’s 35 strands, tell him he will be king very, very soon. Plus, she has the other 3 children to take care of as well. Keens much too busy……..
I said it yesterday but I found it interesting that none of the royal rota wrote or tweeted about Knauf’s departure. He made his position untenable when he chose to testify against Meghan and so had no choice but to step down. I suspect that he will still have some unofficial advisory role and it wouldn’t surprise me if William Hague became the the Royal Foundation’s new CEO. He’s the Chairman of the Board and recently gave up his place in the House of Lords saying he wanted to focus more on charity work.
@AmyBee, you’re right, it is unusual. When someone in a high-level position for a senior royal who has been there for such a long time leaves, there are usually some “farewell” type puff pieces.
I guess even they know it would be unwise to bring Jason’s name up right now; they’ve come to expect a tsunami of backlash on Twitter, lol, and it only would have called attention to what he did to Meghan.
Well, I think any farewell profile of Knauf would have to include his most notable highlights – the bullying allegations against Meghan, the uncomfortable fact that he shared texts/ emails from his employer (Meghan) and also threatened to testify against her in her (winning) court case. Nobody wants to go there!
I do think JK will continue to be a source on background for lots of reporters, a sort of back channel for the Cambridge’s, especially if and until they announce a replacement.
He definitely flew too close to the sun. But he’ll be a background source for a very long time, you’re right. Once a gossipy b*tch, always a gossipy b*tch.
Interesting he was sent to India, a commonwealth country,
How is the diplomatic relationship between the UK and India faring these days?
I wonder that too, as the Uk is going to have to open immigration to more Indians to assuage labor shortages in the UK. Not sure how the Brexiteers feel about that, especially as they didn’t seem to care for eastern europeans all that much, but here we are.
India doesn’t really care about that colonial organisation anymore. It had even stopped attending meetings for many years. Charles had to do a make a spl “tour” of India to beg PM Modi to attend the commonwealth summit to anoint him as the “head”. India had actually suggested that the member countries should take turns in heading the commonwealth org, but alas the racism continues.
I would say good riddance but ole Jay seemed to be where he belonged with that den of vipers.
“Den of Vipers” would be a great name for Li’l Ass’s metal cover band…
With the amount of things he’s seen and done, I doubt he’s going to be completely out of the fold. Wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes a Michael Fawcett type for William (if he isn’t already)!
I’m sure he’ll be a rehire one day.
Exactly— they’ll wait until they think all of the stupid peasants forgot about what he did, and try to slip him right back in.
Luckily I don’t think they’d get away with it this time, because every Sussex supporter knows who he is and what he did and it would end up causing a whole shitshow if they even attempted this.
But William, being a moron, will certainly try.
What does the Centre for Early Childhood actually do?
store the brooms and mops for Kensington Palace. Maybe the paper towels and cleaning supplies as well.
@Ennie: Nobody knows. I doubt Kate knows either.
They’re coming into their own! It’s a lot of work!
It’s basically a website that directs to other websites of those who do actual work with children.
If they even did that – centralize information and resources for families and children in the UK and commonwealth – it would be a good thing! But I doubt they are that creative. 🙄
I thought it was something like an actual research place, or a place where they do work with actual children. The name is ambitious, but at the same sounds like a pretentious private nursery.
Interesting development! I agree with others I doubt this will be the last we see of him, I bet willy will bring him back once he’s POW & has control of duchy finances. At the moment chuck has all the control & likely cut their funding until willywonka complied and sent him off.
JK is in a predicament now as its unlikely for a credible firm to hire a unhinged guy who will take liberty to break his NDA/confidentiality and attack you in public. I bet if anything he’ll be hired by a trump team but even they will keep him at bay(homophobic base)!
Yes, Drumpf would never hire a gay man, not intentionally at least. They are the most racist family in America. At least top 10, after Cruz and Wacko from Arizona!
There is a group of conservatives outside of the US that is ok with gay white men as long as they are vindictive assholes. Check out Stephen Harper’s cabinet including John Baird. Of course they played the everyone knew he was gay in Ottawa he just didn’t say it to piss off the bigot evangelical conservative base. But that’s the same element in most countries.
A KP comms officer just left after 9 months. Omg they must be horrible bosses- isn’t that how it goes?
it was interesting to see Jason Knauf quoted prominently in the great Kate at 40 articles-the press ‘neglected’ to mention him as a Mail witness in Meghan’s court case in those though. I think he will probably remain an advisor to William & Kate in some form.
Of course he will! They need more heads to create the most vile lies.
Jason is a lap dog he’s out in name only.
I don’t know who would want to hire someone who will one sell them out but I’m sure that someone will want the “prestige” of hiring a former royal aide
I bet he is still on the payroll for Willy and Katie. Just not on the books.
I can’t imagine someone wanting the CEO position … what real say or control do they have over the foundation’s success? Isn’t William essentially the CEO?
The absolute balls of steel of this guy to refer to the Centre for Early Childhood as a “powerful platform.” I hope that if he does somehow manage to get a job interview after his unethical shenanigans at KP, that they ask him exactly what this “powerful platform” accomplished.
And I agree with the other commenters who said he’ll still be in regular contact with William, strategizing, etc. I wouldn’t even be surprised if William tried to find some under-the-table scheme to continue paying Jason, but covering it up by pretending it’s some vague “Foundation expenses” or whatnot. William is stupid enough to try it, and Jason is slimy enough to go along with it.
I hope one day someone takes a deep dive into everything Jason did during his time working for the royals, and publishes a detailed expose, including all of the ways William and Kate directed him/participated in his disgusting tactics.
Every single interview he ever has with a potential employer should include a question about the “Centre for Early Childhood’s” impact. Every.Single.One.
I just love Kate toasting him with larvae whilst cackling like a mean girl!
In that picture, is Kate toasting and laughing with herself? Because it would appear she’s talking to Knauf, but he’s focused on someone else. So is there someone off-screen she’s talking to, or did she just pretend because she saw them taking the picture and didn’t want to look awkward? Because if she did, then she really failed 🤣
Kate is used to that treatment from Hubbie! Does Kate even bore Jason?
Jason is the fall guy for KP and you bet he got a big severance and a strong NDA. He was Bad Dad’s handler and he voluntarily turned over Meghan’s emails without court order or formal release from KP. He may have legal exposure because he looks like he went rogue. And if William wanted him around he would not be shipped off to India. I think BP and CH said Jason had to go. Keeping him in the UK reminds everyone he made a mess on KP’s lawn.
Lol, his husband was banished!! That’s the oldest trick in the book. They’ve needed new PR for quite some time.
He’ll stick around like a bad STD — he’s Willy’s lapdog and will continue to leak and smear on Willy’s orders. You can do that stuff remotely you know…with a burner phone and snail mail.
Looking at the pictures, if I didn’t know these people, I would have assumed Kate was Jason’s wife.
It would be crazier if Kate and Jason had hooked up. That would be a huge scandal.
Jason also worked and traveled with Harry before the Houses split. He was at the IG in Canada when Harry and Meghan debuted. He was probably the original leak concerning the affair. When you find a man, gay or straight, that dislikes a woman to the degree Knauf opposes Meghan, there’s a hidden agenda. Very often, it’s the mother. Growing up in ultra-conservative Texas as a gay male could not have been easy. He appeared wimpish and was probably a bully’s paradise. Escaping to the UK worked for him.
Off to India, so there goes the bullying investigation.
The name that never comes up in any stories is Sarah Latham. After the Sussex left, she became a member of the Queen’s staff at BP. What side of the fence was she on? I’m glad he’s gone. It will be interesting to see who his replacement is. Probably someone from #10 Downing Street. The connection between that address and KP is strong. William is in deep. He should have listened to Harry.