Kate's loyal aide made redundant after her honeymoon

Kate Middleton has reportedly laid off a loyal aide who has been working with the duchess for years as the royals reportedly downsize following the 'fab four' split.

Sophie Agnew, 32, had just returned from her honeymoon when she was delivered the shocking news that her role had been made redundant after seven years of working with the royal family.

The news blindsided Agnew's family and friends, as Agnew had spent years working for Kate before taking on the role, which put her in charge of Kate's personal assistants.

"Sophie worked so hard for Kate, she loved her job and made a lot of sacrifices," a friend told the Daily Mail.

"Everyone's been really shocked because it was so unexpected. It seems like extreme cost-cutting."

Now sources close to Agnew are claiming that the 'fab four' split is to blame, saying that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are cutting costs following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's departure from their household and charity.

The two households split when the Sussexes moved from Kensington Palace to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor this April, which likely affected the roles of some royal staff.

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The couple then removed themselves from the Royal Foundation, where they had worked alongside Kate and William as the 'fab four' on several charity projects.

These departures would have meant some major changes when it comes to staff and may have affected some roles within both households, but there is no evidence these splits were the cause for Agnew's redundancy.

In fact, some believe her being laid off had more to do with her own life than the lives of her royal employers.

Agnew is the second prominent female aide working for Kate Middleton who has left her role soon after marrying, though the first, Kate's former private secretary Rebecca Deacon, quit of her own accord.