A former senior aide of the Prince and Princess of Wales has taken a top position at Prince Harry’s Invictus Games Foundation.
Nick Loughran was part of William and Kate’s fold but is now firmly established in the Sussexes’ world, newly released documents show.
Loughran became a trustee and director at the foundation last October, according to the official records.
The same documents show that war veteran and TV star JJ Chalmers, also a close friend of Prince Harry’s, has stepped down as a director after serving two years as a trustee.
JJ is understood to have ‘loved’ his tenure as a trustee and to be looking forward to continuing in an ambassadorial role for the Invictus movement
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A source said: ‘Nick has been a part of the Invictus Games Foundation since he worked with Prince Harry at the palace and he is delighted to be a trustee at the foundation as it goes from strength to strength.’
Loughran, who left Kensington Palace in 2016, is now formally part of the prince’s global charitable games for injured, wounded and sick veterans and current service personnel.
He has previously denied that an alleged love entanglement with two women who also worked for the royals was the reason he left the fold.
The communications specialist’s departure was announced three months after the Daily Mail reported that he had broken up with Kate’s cherished ‘Girl Friday’, Rebecca Deacon, and begun courting Clara Madden, who worked at the time as Prince Harry’s assistant.
He has since continued his close bond with the prince, 40, which was evident when he joined the royal and Meghan Markle, 44, at the Invictus Games in Canada earlier this year.
Loughran was only a few months into his trustee and director roles when they were pictured at a Wheelchair Curling event in February.
His official hand in the games founded by the prince comes after he worked in media roles at Buckingham and then Kensington Palace.
After leaving The Royal Household, Loughran became a director at Freuds, the PR firm founded by Matthew Freud.
He then became family communications director at philanthropic property and food organisation Grosvenor, before co-founding communications company Integra Group in 2021, where he is a director.
Loughran went on to marry Clara, who had worked for Harry since 2015, organising his official engagements and charitable initiatives.
She had previously worked for William and Kate, who visited her parents on a trip to her native New Zealand in 2014.
In 2021, Clara was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order — an honour given to those who have served the monarchy with dedication in a personal capacity — by the Queen, reportedly on Prince Harry’s recommendation. She has previously been revealed as the so-called ‘mystery woman’ who handed Meghan her wedding bouquet as she arrived at St George’s Chapel on her wedding day.
Clara is said to have lost her job when the duke and duchess moved to North America and relinquished their royal duties but to have been rehired on a freelance basis to work on charity projects in the UK.
The long friendship between the Loughrans and Harry and Meghan has continued through the Sussexes’ split with Buckingham Palace in 2020 and subsequent relocation to Montecito, California.
A book about the royals titled Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, by Valentine Low, revealed the bond between Nick and Harry.
Loughran is said to have addressed King Charles as ‘Your Royal Highness’ but to have been on first name terms with the duke.
He was also pictured with the prince at the London Invictus Games in 2014 — the inaugural year of the event.
Loughran will now have a leading role as the charity prepares for the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027.
The source said: ‘On the back of a very successful games in Vancouver and Whistler, the foundation is entering its second decade and is looking to grow its impact in using sport for the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and sick veterans and serving personnel.’
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