EXCLUSIVE: This year’s World Mental Health Day, which takes place on Thursday, October 10, will highlight “mental health in the workplace” which will inevitably shine a light on recent stories surrounding the Duchess that described her as a “demon” boss.

World Mental Health Day couldn’t have come at a worse time for Meghan Markle this year (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to mark World Mental Health Day next week in a rather different fashion to previous years.

Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex held their Archewell Foundation’s first in-person event in New York, providing a platform for parents navigating mental health challenges in today’s digital age.

However, this year’s global milestone, which takes place on October 10, will highlight “mental health in the workplace” which will inevitably shine a light on recent stories surrounding the Duchess that described her as a “demon” boss.

“Let’s just say the timing of the ‘demon’ boss article about Meghan hasn’t come at a very good time,” said the source. “World Mental Health Day this year is to help shine a light on mental health in the workplace so it’s a very tricky one for the Sussexes to navigate.

“It’s a scenario where they will be damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

“They obviously advocate for mental health awareness so the day will be marked in some way but not like it has been in previous years with a big event.”

The Duchess, 40, was highly praised by one of her former senior employees last week as she became embroiled in the latest allegation against her regarding her alleged attitude and behaviour towards staff.

The Hollywood Reporter, one of America’s most prestigious entertainment news sources, recently published a scathing report labelling Meghan as “Duchess Difficult” and claimed that her staff are “terrified” of her and her “belittling” behaviour towards them.

However, Mandana Dayani, former Archwell COO, spoke out about the “profound injustice” and described the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as “kind, decent, caring people”.

She told Us Weekly: “Part of the profound injustice of having to speak publicly on this in light of these endless and damaging narratives is that so much of the kindness, mentorship, and support that Prince Harry and Meghan share with others happens quietly behind closed doors.”

Prince Harry joined the Prince of Lesotho as he toured the region (Image: Getty)

Ms Dayani added: “Throughout every global crisis, their first question was always: ‘How can we help?’ Whether they were veterans, women, refugees, animals in harm, they both showed up. Never asking for anything in return. […] Just last week, as Meghan and I were planning our next lunch, I told her how excited I was to pick her brain on my latest ventures. These are kind, decent, caring people who I am very proud to call my friends.”

According to our well-placed source, Prince Harry, 40,will return to Montecito over the weekend to reunite with his wife Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, following several weeks of solo engagements.

This week, Prince Harry travelled to Lesotho and South Africa for his Sentebale charity on another solo trip without his wife, Meghan Markle. It is Harry’s first visit to the region in five years.

That trip followed the Duke’s appearance at the WellChild Awards in London on Monday.

Harry also visited New York last month, which coincided with the UN General Assembly High-Level Week.

He attended several events including a notable panel at the Clinton Global Initiative, where he highlighted issues within the digital space and paid homage to his late mother, Princess Diana, while discussing the Diana Award.

His stint in the Big Apple wrapped up with a lively episode on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that saw the Prince screaming expletives while braving a haunted maze alongside the comedian host.

The Sussexes have been approached for comment