People Magazine’s cover story this week is all about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and “what’s next” for them after they lost their Spotify contract, basically. Like, there’s enough evidence that the Sussexes have taken some professional hits this year, but I maintain that the biggest issue facing Harry and Meghan is not about their finances or fictitious marriage drama or anything like that, it’s a simple issue of the lack of a communications strategy. They’re really bungling their comms and they have been for years. Fix the comms and we won’t have to constantly hear the sole media narrative that the Sussexes are “struggling” or in need of a “comeback.” Anyway, beyond the conversation about their business, People Mag is also reporting on what their life is like in Montecito:
Family relationships: Although Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, is a frequent guest at the couple’s Montecito home, Harry’s family remains estranged. He is still not on speaking terms with his brother, Prince William, nor did he spend any meaningful time with the Prince of Wales or King Charles at their father’s coronation in May. Since telling Oprah Winfrey during their 2021 sit-down that she felt unwelcomed and unsupported by some members of the royal family, Meghan has taken a “much softer approach about Harry’s family,” a California source tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s cover story.
Meghan wants to move on from the Windsors: “The situation with his father and brother is still very difficult for him,” the source says. “Meghan is always supportive of it though. She used to be negative about it. It seems she has kind of moved on now.” Another insider adds, “They have moved continents. They have set up a new life with their kids.” The source says Meghan “just wants to focus on their kids and their life in Montecito.”
Child-rearing: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex “are very united when it comes to family values and how to raise their kids. They are both great parents,” the source adds. “Their kids are their world.” The couple’s “goal,” says a source, is for Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lili, 2, to “have a normal life as much as possible.” The children’s upbringing is “very play-based. They have several play areas, including a climbing gym on their property.”
School pickups: The source adds that Archie and Lili have playdates, they spend time with their parents at the beach and Archie attends school. And Meghan is just one of the moms at school pickup, a longtime Montecito resident says: “She talks to everyone; there is no pretense.”
The Sussexes mostly keep to themselves. “They’re not into a big scene. They prefer smaller group hangouts at home, karaoke, that sort of thing,” says a friend. “Harry’s a beer and steak-and-potatoes kind of dude. They’re playful and flirty when they’re hanging out.”
Harry is embracing his American life: A family insider tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s cover story that for Prince Harry, it’s a “very different” life, and one he “seems to be embracing.”
Harry is a regular at the beach with Pula. A resident tells PEOPLE that during a beach visit, “The cutest dog dropped his ball by me, and I looked up to ask the owner if I could throw it, and it was Prince Harry. He said, ‘Of course,’ and made small talk while I played and pet the dog. It was so cute.” The resident added that the Duke of Sussex “didn’t wear a hat; I could see his red hair.”
There’s also a quote from a Montecito person about how the community feels very protective of them but some people complain about the paparazzi. The vibe is absolutely that Harry and Meghan mostly keep to themselves around town, that they’re private and low-key. I find these quotes curious though: “Meghan is always supportive of it though. She used to be negative about it. It seems she has kind of moved on now”… Meghan “just wants to focus on their kids and their life in Montecito.” I do believe that Meghan is the one who is more like “let’s look ahead, let’s move on from all of the Salt Island drama,” which also explains their utter non-engagement when it comes to the hate machine churning away for years. I’ve always thought that Meghan was more well-suited for royal life than anyone gave her credit for – much like the Windsors, Meghan is an ostrich syndrome champion. Ignoring the negativity doesn’t make it go away.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Backgrid.
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- New York City, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland arrive at The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Doria Ragland BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: T.JACKSON / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BeautifulSignatureIG / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Fernando Ramales / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Fernando Ramales / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Fernando Ramales / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
much like the Windsors, Meghan is an ostrich syndrome champion. Ignoring the negativity doesn’t make it go away.
Meghan does this to be positive and healthy and happy. The Windsors do this because they are in denial of their the hatred and racism that they have spread.
The thing that Harry and Meghan NEED is a good and effective comms team. One that they will LISTEN to. I’m hoping that this is the something they will add to their team.
Yeah I think there’s a difference between ignoring negativity and issues in your own family, rather than outside sources. Especially if those people will just move the goalposts to some other imaginary issue when you debunk the first one. By all intents and purposes we should have really heard the end of daily stories about the Sussexes in 2021. The fact that they still get at least 15 stories a week about them in the BM won’t be fixed by a new comms team. These people don’t want to be corrected and get the real story, they want money and hate clicks gets them that.
Yeah, I don’t know that I see how responding will stop the negativity.
Supporters can support while also having opinions. The two are not mutually exclusive and being a Sussex supporter does not mean someone has to think H&M walk on water.
@Snuffles’ post below basically describes really well what I think people on here mean when they say they need better comms.
@Dee(2): Exactly.
@Becks1 I think we may have to agree to disagree on that. With rational human beings I think sending out more updates and maybe having a limited social media presence would do a lot to offset the negativity, but the British Media in no way have shown that they are rational. If they start to release more stuff, I think we’re just going to get more articles with more negativity drowning out them analyzing and overanalyzing what they said. I mean they literally wrote an article about the palm trees in the background of this video. I think we also are really close to this coming this website daily or weekly and for my friends and family that know I’m interested but don’t really pay attention to this stuff the way that I do stuff from the Post and US weekly and all of that isn’t hitting with them. I think we see more negativity because we’re more dialed in then the general public does and think that they need to react to that in a different way. I mean after a month of nothing but negative headlines, the clothes Meghan had on sold out in like 2 hours. However like you said people can have different opinions, I don’t think the people that want a new comms team are wrong, I just don’t think it’s going to make the change that people think it will.
I agree Dee. You can have the best Comms team out there and it will do nothing regarding the British media. They have a personal vendetta against Harry and Meghan. That will never change.
@Dee(2) I can understand that POV, and I don’t entirely disagree. Like I said below I don’t think they need to hit back at every stupid rumor the tabloid press makes up about them because that just gives them (the press) what they want, which is a response. And besides, how many times a day can someone say “this isn’t true” in response to an endless cycle of made-up stories?
But I do think a different PR strategy might benefit them. For example, you said the negative stories about them aren’t really hitting here. I also think the positive stories aren’t really hitting that much either. I think a different strategy could help with that. Of course WE know the positive stories, the same way we know the negative stories. So we aren’t the best barometer sometimes, lol.
Overall, I think reasonable people can agree to disagree here and can have different opinions on this issue and you’re not wrong and those of us on the “other side” aren’t wrong, you know?
My issue is more this idea that is becoming prevalent in comments here that if you are a Sussex supporter, then you can never ever have an opinion that is something other than “everything H&M do is perfect and cannot be criticized and if you dare to think they might benefit from XYZ then you’re not a real supporter.” I think we are capable of engaging in thoughtful and critical discussions without falling into that trap.
@Becks1 fair point about how we see the negative and also are the ones that mainly know the positive. It’s just such a crappy situation they are in that’s so unlike anything I’ve ever seen. And agreed about the slightest dissension meaning you aren’t a real supporter. That’s silly, no one is above reproach and everyone can improve on something.
They are probably really bothering bots and derangers by being upbeat. Which is great.
Comms team for what? There are 100s of made up rumors that get circulated by British tabloids and Murdoch machines daily. It won’t stop because it is designed to make Harry withdraw his legal battles in UK. Ignoring has been effective this year. They should continue that way unless necessary.
@Gem: Agreed.
I agree completely with this sentiment. Why feed that demon. They are doing this to provoke more conversation which they can turn into more negative articles about h&m. Even if they had a comms rep, the british media would twist what is said and somehow make it a more negative conversation. Personally, I think what should be done to nip this in the bud is for them to do another Oprah interview. Kind of an update on the Sussexes type of interview which would have a few shots of the kids and them in their daily regular schmegular life but I think it should also address in that interview some of the more popular negative rumors — the car chase in nyc, the spotify deal falling apart, future endeavors and I think they should say during that interview that this will be the last time that they publicly address rumors that are being put out by the bm. If I were there pr person, this is what I would do. I do think it needs to be dealt with but a comm person devoted to addressing rumors would probably backfire given the vitriol and hatred of the british press.
Exactly!!! Thank you!!!
Nothing they, or a communications team, say or do will make the RF supported BM madness stop. It’s a toxic combination of King Charles/Prince William’s ongoing anger, jealousy & punishment. Murdoch’s ‘attack as defence’ strategy and 5th rate ‘journalists’/pundits/hangers playing sycophant to some or all of the above for money or access. Engaging/responding regularly in any way under these circumstances would increase the attacks because attention from the couple is what they want. Once they started responding more and more information/access would be demanded until they would be focussing on feeding the press, as the RF have to do, instead of living their lives.
The problem for the RR isn’t H&M’s Comms team it’s that they have absolutely no idea what the Sussexes are doing until they’re ready. Planting spurious stories may get the BRF dancing to their tunes but, H&M are no longer part of that circus so don’t have to respond to cries of “let’s see pictures of the kids.”
If H&M’s Comms team respond to just one of the 100s of negative articles planted every day in the MSM there will be an expectation for them to reply to another one and then another one until H&M have fallen back into the situation that they were so desperate to escape. The situation which had a terrible affect on their mental health.
H&M’s Comms team work for H&M and not as an alternative to hiding whatever is not going on in palaces on a different continent . For far too long Harry worked his arse off to shield the laziness of his brother. As far as I can tell H&Ms Comms team are doing just fine looking after H&M.
This is a tricky, complex situation for Harry and Meghan:
1- This is a kind, glamorous, philanthropic couple who recently escaped a murder attempt by car crash, and undergoes British gutter press front-stabbing and character assassination ploys on an every 12-hour basis. I can’t imagine the mental strength it takes to conduct a balanced, normal life amidst such circumstances. Sending protection and resilience prayers to Meghan and Harry and their babies, by the way.
2- My suggestion yesterday that Meghan should feel free to resume minimal social media activity is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it would send a strong signal against media and royal bullying, but on the other hand, every single word of hers will be dissected and used to harm her. I vaguely remember the fuss that was made about her candid phrase about Nelson Mandela.
3- The way the Sussexes are now doing philanthropy is perfection: the emphasis is put on the causes they choose to support, barely on them. Such selflessness is admirable and very few celebrities are capable of putting their egos aside and generously shifting the limelight onto the needy. That’s where Harry emerges -not only as Diana’s biological son- but as her one true heir: he picked the wife who understands philanthropy to the core, not a leech who’ “still learning” nearing half a century of parasitical existence.
As survivors intimately dealing with PTSD, Harry and especially Meghan will have to figure out the right way to carry out their public duties = how to overcome the intimidation tactics that have led Meghan to semi-seclude from the public eye + how to protect themselves from the hazards and “accidents”.
People on here seem to think that saying H&M should get a more effective comms strategy means we want them to respond to every story or rumor written about them, when that’s not the case at all. No, we don’t won’t H&M to respond to gossip everyday, we want them to promote their work better and when they do respond to stories or put out statements, we want it to be strong and precise the first time.
Examples:
-Instead of waiting 2 years later to debunk the “they want privacy” BS that ppl use continuous as a stick to beat them with, why didn’t they take time out of the documentary to address that? Why was that segment cut out of the Oprah interview? Better yet, why didn’t shut it down when it first started? A statement lowkey-ly sent to papers addressing that myth in response to ppl bringing it up bc of the documentary does not cut.
-Instead of letting multiple false narratives run rampant for weeks (taxi driver, paps, etc) why didn’t they shut that down immediately and coordinate all the statements together after the fact? Why wasn’t there more pushback against those false narratives?
-When Camilla Tominey published another BS piece claiming Harry was sleeping in a hotel, why didn’t they pushback against it harder than the usual denial pushed way at the bottom of the article, where most ppl won’t check? Why did it only take Nacho calling out a Page Six article repeating that BS for it to wind down?
-When a Spotify executive called them grifters on the world stage, why wasn’t there pushback. Because as mush as squaddies would like to minimize Ben Simmons role and cast him aside by bringing up his problematic past, when he made those statements, he was addressed as a Spotify executive. Not a random or a racist, but a spotify executive who also worked personally with Harry. That title alone carries credibility and ppl who don’t follow as closely as we do, accepted it as a fact and went about their day.
It’s these things that we think a better comms team would not necessarily “fix” but lessen the impact of.
” When Camilla Tominey published another BS piece claiming Harry was sleeping in a hotel, why didn’t they pushback against it harder “? Because they are super intelligent and don’t want Camilla Tominey’s name to be heard beyond the limits of its natural habitat – the sceptic tank where it is doomed to remain. Public contradiction can lead to worldwide promotion, H & M are aware of it.
Agreed. Besides, when you wrestle with pigs, you just end up with mud all over you & the pigs, and the pigs like it. I like H&M’s policy of total non-engagement. If it has proven anything, it has proved that Harry & Meghan’s actual lives have nothing to do with all the crap the UK rags spew on a daily basis. Meanwhile, the rest of the RF is up to their necks in it.
Absolutely agree.
The idea that some squaddies have of them getting social media to refute allegations and call out haters will not happen because that’s not something they seem to want and i think it would be unproductive tbh. There is no way to stop the agenda being peddled by the UK press and their trolls outside of doing what have H&M have already done: hughlighting the incesruous relationship between the Firm and the press. It hasnt stopped the hate machine but it’s made more people stop to think about why a certain narrative is being pushed on them and that’s something(a month ago i saw a quote tweet that called out a Sussex divorce tweet as a distraction from Willy’s wandering Willy and that tweet saying it was a a distraction was from a non squaddie and went viral).
What would be helpful is an account for Archewell (probably on Instagram as that seems to be M’s preferred platform) that talked about their work. The Archewell site is great but not everyone checks it and while a lot of their work does get aggregated out to the press there is still some that doesn’t. An IG acct that documented their work could give it more visibility as a lot of people dont know what they’re up to because they’re not in public a lot and don’t do make a huge deal out every new update from their projects like some people
@SUGARHERE I pointed out that they DID respond to Camilla’s story. There was a short denial pushed at the bottom of the article. Whether we like it or not the Telegraph is still seen as a somewhat credible newspaper and H&M have engaged with them in the past 3 years. My point is, why wasn’t the response stronger the first time? Plus @ROOOTH, H&M don’t have a non-engagement policy with the Telegraph.
M&H don’t need to tell anyone anything they don’t feel like saying. Spotify wasn’t a failure. Spotifys business model is failing. M&H are smart not to engage because it starves their haters and forces the tabs to show how insane they are. Once Harry finishes his lawsuits, I expect more social media interaction. But let’s be real, KP has spent millions hiring bots to spew hate. Why should H&M engage? The less they engage the less money the trolls make. It’s a smart media strategy.
They don’t need to push back on tabloid bullshit. But they DO need to promote their work so that everyone, not just Squaddies, can see it, especially if it relies on donation. And they absolutely DO need to have their website actually send out regular updates – something that’s a standard practice. Subscribing to a website that doesn’t actually update you through that subscription is silly and ineffective.
I get the part about promoting their work more or improving their website. However, these awards they just gave out was all over the news media, the recipients were talking about it on social media and it was generally really positive, except in the UK. Most people couldn’t pay for this type of enthusiastic coverage. Maybe it’s more we want to see what they’re doing with more regularity and consistency. They definitely don’t need to wrestle in the mud with the tabloid pigs. If the Spotify deal was something they wanted to hold on to, they would have made it work, and the way the execs carried in and bad-mouthed them after they left shows they weren’t doing business in good faith. They said they were reviewing there businesses partnerships as they are growing in this is part of the growing pains.
Meghan will never be able to do any more than just tread water if she is having to keep both herself and Harry afloat. He’s a heavy anchor tied around her neck at this point. No one wants to hear this but it is true. Can you even imagine having your husband so intertwined in your professional life?? He’s a great guy, but she is the brains and the money maker. The financial security of her children depends upon her. He doesn’t understand money. Why would he? He has gone from being manipulated by the royals to being manipulated by lawyers who don’t actually care about his court cases. They just want every dime of his book money. She needs to look out for herself and her kids. Stay married by all means. Love each other. But never apologize for being smart and successful. Stop holding yourself back while hoping he will catch up. He won’t. Let George and Amal Clooney be your role models. They are married and visibly in love. They have two little kids. Their professional lives are completely separate. Smart.
Listen, she at one time was suicidal. You don’t just get over that. It wasn’t that long ago that they were chased by photographers through the streets. You don’t just get over that either. If she just wants to be a mom and focus on her family right now, that is great. I would imagine that she is dealing with a lot of mental strain and probably some PTSD. She may be like ‘every other school mom’, but I hope she is also taking care of her mental health.
Just to add, it always confuses me when everyone comments as though this is a situation that happened in the past. It’s ongoing. It has never stopped. It’s been 7 years of constant lies and attacks. If Meghan engaged, she’d probably be dead by now and I don’t say that lightly. The mental toll would be too great. And besides, you really can’t fight the types of disinfo being promoted. It’s all smoke and mirrors and innuendo. They would go crazy and broke fighting back against this cloud of poison.
Agree with both these points. On Meghan’s Archetypes podcast with Serena, they were talking about something and she said at one point she didn’t want to leave her house. The fire in South Africa got all the hype and media storm, but I distinctly remember her saying that. People, both lovers and haters, want more from the Sussexes,especially Meghan, than they are willing or able to give. The are still constantly attacked, every move scrutinized for failure so maybe they just don’t feel like discussing every aspect of their business deals, arguing with haters or putting their marriage and personal life up for discussion, no matter what we think is more effective or not. They are obviously doing the meaningful work that drives them, making connections and those working with them like these grant recipients are thrilled to be partnering with Archewell.
If the residents are supportive why are they talking? I mean we have seen a picture of Harry at the beach with the dog and the family in their documentary so are these sources just using that? I don’t know but when we do see Harry and Meg they are happy and we did see them at the July 4th parade and they were having a good time and yes Harry was doing American things.
It would not surprise me to find out such stories are completely made up. I doubt their neighbors are chatting.
Yeah People has descended into fake news territory as far as the Sussexes are concerned. There is nothing new in this article and some blatant misinformation.
This story has a template that seems more like a Kate story than a Meghan and Harry story. The whole Meghan focusing on her kids is normally kate wanting to focus on her kids because Kate is lazy and does nothing. But Harry is as involved with his kids as Meghan as opposed to William, who is not.
People got lazy and repurposed a kate and the kids story because Meghan sells more.
So I wouldn’t read too much into what the residents supposedly claim.
I’m glad. She deserves peace and quiet. Meghan and Harry don’t have to worry negativity in the states because we have so much going on. It’s the opposite for the UK because they use Harry and Meghan as distractions, which is not working because they don’t live there and they look obsessive. That’s partly why the BM are trying to open offices here. Not because they need money. They’re stalking and trying to influence public opinion here.
Piers writes for the ny post so some of the negativity has come to the media in the USA.
Yes, it’s here but it’s not talked about on multiple tv shows, panels, columns, radio and podcast nearly everyday. They have a whole establishment after them in Britain. You can guarantee someone in Britain is going to bring them up day in and day out. I can ignore Piers because who takes the NYP seriously? There a million things going on and unless you go out and search for negativity, it’s easy to ignore.
American here. Most people don’t read the New York Post and those that do consider it a tabloid we don’t take seriously. We don’t hear about Harry and Meghan everyday on the news like the Brits do. I’m quite sure Meghan gets up and feels a relief she don’t see the constant negativity churned out daily about her and Harry in Britain. The best thing they have done is to move here. People forget the America is huge and has lots to worry about than Harry and Meghan.
“We don’t hear about Harry and Meghan everyday on the news like the Brits do.”
@Angie, and I think that’s exactly why the British media think the Sussexes are unpopular in America and that we don’t like them. I wish the British media would just stay in their lane and quit talking about two private citizens of another country, living on another continent, that have nothing to do with them.
@Angie Exactly, which is why they’re angry because they can’t abuse them consistently anymore and even Murdoch Fox News have bigger fish to fry. America is big and no one is focusing on Harry and Meghan that much. That’s why they’re perplexed about why Suits is successful on Netflix. They really want to bring that negativity here and if they’re losing money and journalists are being furloughed and newspaper sales are going down in the UK and that’s with the consistent Sussex coverage, what makes them think it will work here?
Let them try to bring that bs here. We don’t take kindly to harassing non political figures. Now if she was to run for any political office that would open her up to all kinds of questions. Hence the constant fake news from the British media that she is running for President which I and most people laugh at. They know nothing about what it takes to run for president in this country. What I see from the British media landscape is that most if not all of those people on daily tv would be fired if they said half the garbage they spew out daily on their programs. The racism, misogyny is off the charts. The blowback in this country would be immense. Most sponsors would desert your program in droves if you spewed out any racist garbage. Their shows don’t seem to get any pushback. Every British commentator that comes on the American morning shows here is completely different than what you see on British tv. They wouldn’t dare say some of the nasty things here they say there.
I think two things can be true: one, that they need a more sophisticated overall branding/comms strategy, one that is tailor-made and “outside the box” (because their challenges are unique from a comms perspective). It’s also key that the strategy continues to function despite their needs for work-life balance and downtime. Major corporations and organisations don’t drop out of sight for weeks or months at a time just because their principals and staff do.
Two, I think that it’s perfectly OK not to engage in hate media/tit-for-tat even if only for mental health reasons. Harry and Meghan are good at communicating first and defining key messages when they have specific projects to promote, so it’s not like they don’t understand that silence isn’t an option. The hits they take should be placed into perspective in relation to their overall reputation, rather than one-offs no matter how frustrating it is to fans (unless there is cause for legal action, of course).
I also think it’s important for their future business interests, particularly in Hollywood and in their charitable endeavours to start sending the message that they are moving on from Royal drama so that was well done. Otherwise, they risk being seen as “one-trick ponies” as has been discussed at length here….
+1 to everything you’ve said here @Lady Esther. Are you in marketing? You’ve got their comms strategy down to exactly what they need, they should hire you!
@Mei thank you…To me a lot of the focus on their communications has been tactical (using this or that channel like social media, thinking only in terms of volume or good/bad, etc) and focused on general audience perspective, when in fact I think an important weakness is ignoring the “corporate communications” part. IMO they need to be thinking in terms of long-term strategy and reputation, ensuring continuity over time, handling crises in a consistent way etc etc. They’re not individuals anymore, they are effectively the heads of a multinational with different business lines as well as a charitable arm, just like many corporations. Their branding/comms has to suit that change in roles.
oh and Harry and Meghan can call me anytime, I’d be honored 🙂
Yeah, I don’t need them to respond to the endless bullshit coming from Salt Island. I need them to promote their projects and endeavors more. Replace that negative drum beat with the positive news of their good works.
At bare minimum, they need social media for Archewell. They need to upgrade their website. I signed up for updates the moment it went live and have NEVER received one.
They need to give continuous updates on their projects. Tell people how they can get involved and support. Delve deeper into the projects. Take the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund. They can do more that just list the names. Feature each project that these young people have created. Do a little vignette for each one. Spread it out over a week or two. This is the kind of thing they can do on Instagram Reels, YouTube shorts, Tik Tok, etc.
Do more to spread the news! Eventually the good stuff will outweigh the negative stuff.
@Snuffles very well said. This is what people are talking about when they’re talking about needing a better comms team. It’s not so that they can respond to every BS rumor coming out of the UK. That’s obviously what the british tabloids want (well that and clicks) and we know the Sussexes are not going to engage with the british tabloids.
But, they do need to promote their projects and let people know what they are doing. I know some on here will say “well we all know about this!!” yes, those in the Sussex Squad or who follow squaddies on twitter will know about some of their projects. But there are a lot of things that fly under the mainstream radar and that’s where I think a more aggressive comms strategy could be used. At the very least actually sending updates from Archewell could be a big step. I mean Celebitchy sends out emails with updates on a daily basis! AW can also do it.
1000% agree Snuffles!
@Snuffles All of this.
This is an interesting question, and I agree generally, it’s what an organization in their situation should be doing. But. Remember, for example, in their previous life, the monthly IG posts on a specific topic highlighting organizations working in that area? So interesting and informative, and great exposure for often small, under the radar organizations. If they did that now though, as we’ve seen, the SM for any such groups would be inundated with negative, hateful comments, because that’s part of the strategy, to destroy the Sussexes by destroying their ability to function, be effective, and to make an independent living.
I’d love to see, say, a monthly update from Archewell about their activities, maybe a newsletter. But is there a way to avoid dragging in this destructive attention that may focus on whatever organization they’re discussing/working with as well?
@windyriver I think that’s a huge issue and I do think that’s part of the reason for their current strategy. If the haters cannot attack the Sussexes, they’ll attacking anyone/thing associated with the Sussexes, and how do you really combat that? By limiting comments on posts? That takes away the engagement part of social media. but since they like to associate with smaller charities and organizations for the most part, those smaller orgs are at risk of being abused and harassed.
Is there a way around that? I don’t know. I honestly think some of the haters are just too far gone at this point and as we’ve said before, its very disturbing.
I mean I’m not a fan of Kate’s, you all know that. I don’t comment negatively on KP posts, I don’t visit a charity’s SM page after her visit to abuse that charity, etc. The Sussex haters are just another level.
Yes, an example would be this People article – I can’t imagine that someone writing a “What’s Next” article wouldn’t have tried to contact H&M to ask them “what’s next?” A comms team could have something prepared.
Did People say that they contacted Harry and Meghan’s team for a comment?
@Amy Bee – I’ve only read the excerpts, so I don’t know. It was really a hypothetical example. But H&M or their reps have spoken to People before, haven’t they? And People Mag likes to keep actual avenues open with celebrities. And I’m just guessing that People would be thrilled to get new content from H&M.
@Eurydice: The heavy reliance on sources for this piece make It seem like People either didn’t get a response from Harry and Meghan’s team or they didn’t ask them for a comment.
Most of us given the opportunity to live in luxury while prioritizing family would choose to do so. I’ve always been career oriented and never wanted children, but hear me now at my age I would absolutely retire given the choice. If I could work 1-2 days a week in philanthropy but otherwise garden and rescue animals, that would be me.
See, this is how I know that Meghan is definitely a better person than me . Cause if my husband family did to me a quarter of what that family did and continue to try to do to her , I would say as long as I live and breathe and way after I stopped breathing, you ain’t never going to get forgiveness or understanding or compassion from me . Nope , not now, not ever .
We do not know if she compassionates with them or even forgave them. That relationship is completely over. Only Harry wants a relationship with his birth family, even the Windsor doesn’t want that.
People Magazine is nothing more than an extension of the UK tabloids. They have contacts at KP. Notice how they never make disparaging comments against W and K, even when it’s necessary. Look at all the fluff pieces they pull out their asses for those two; that has been going on for a while now. Look how they put Kate or Will on the cover every month. When they got called out on their BS, wouldn’t you know it, they put a picture of the other Royals on the cover. Now they are using Fake sources because, like UK tabloids, the Sussex gives them nothing. Meghan and Harry are doing fine.
Look, I have no idea if they were contacted for this article or whatever, and I don’t care that much about this particular article, I think people are hyperfocusing on whether these People mag sources are real or not or whatever (they most likely are not real sources.)
But H&M HAVE chosen to work with People mag in the past. Remember Harry’s cover story exclusive when Spare came out? H&M don’t have People in the same category as the DM or Express or Sun.
That’s pretty much People’s MO – made up fluff stories 75% of the time, maybe even 95% of the time, and then they get exclusives with celebrities a few times a year.
A “California” source? California is a very big state.
I read “a California source” as them trying to insinuate that the info was coming from the Sussex camp or someone who is familiar with the inner workings but is on the fringes. Most likely though their source is some random dude they found.
Also , the best answer or response Meghan and Harry can give haters , is to keep on collecting bank . Haters gon hate . Paper be the best revenge
In the words of Beyoncé, Always stay gracious, best revenge is your paper. They have one of the best selling nonfiction books in history. The biggest documentary ever on Netflix. Suits is in its renaissance, they have a beautiful home in Montecito, one of the richest addresses in America. Both are NYT bestsellers and Archetypes was a success and are award winners.
People keep saying the Sussexes “need a better comms strategy “ but I think their strategy is similar to Beyoncé’s. You don’t really hear much from her until she releases a project. She not papped everywhere, she just releases things strategically. And she also gets a lot of hate on SM and has a lot of jealousy aimed her way but she rises above it and moves on.
@MsIam: I think you are on to something. I think the same applies to Oprah and Tyler Perry. They don’t respond to stories they just go ahead with their lives and their work.
This! I don’t really understand the doom and gloom surrounding H&M lately. They’ve been incredibly successful since leaving the RF. I can’t think of anything they really could have done differently. The only issue I see is that their situation is so unique that there isn’t really a model for them to follow, no obvious marks for them to hit.
The Sussexes absolutely need a better Comms team and a better strategy overall. While there can be arguments made in circles about how much they can/should share with the public and the trauma both of them have experienced in regards to dealing with the media, there just has to be a better way to communicate their brand and message without it being first co-opted and twisted around by bad actors. They’re both doing such incredible, impactful work, and it does everyone involved a disservice not to cultivate and protect that.
It’s a balance between being immediately reactive, which can feed the cycle, and ostriching, which lets it run amok.
My out of the box strategy would be to do a weekly update. Go through the articles from that week, list the claims, give the truth. And do it as drily and blandly as possible. The message – these people are ridiculous and wasting your time and ours. Draining the swamp.
@Concern Fae: A weekly update will just feed the beast. They gain nothing from updating and debunking stories that are made up to get a reaction.
Honestly, if someone else did a weekly roundup of the nonsense the BM puts out and goes “and this is what they don’t want you to talk about instead” that would be chef’s kiss.
BUT. Not Harry and Meg. What they need to focus on is having a consistent strategy and communication channels. So many people have signed up for the AW newsletter and not one person has received one. I’ve seen comments here about them doing their comms like Beyonce, but that’s not even close to the same thing. Beyonce has a loyal fanbase in the millions because she’s got a track record of YEARS on her side. Harry and Meghan do not have that, and frankly there’s really no one who can compare to the situation they’re in.
That said, it makes it even more important that they find a way to communicate with those interested in their works consistently and reliably. In this day and age, with the newscycle moving as fast as it does, not taking an active role in sending your message out just isn’t it.
@Anna Yeah, an outlet that the legit press would feel comfortable quoting would be best. But there’s the issue that they have made it clear that no one else speaks for them – so where would these other outlets be getting their info from.
Don’t feed the beast is a good rule, but so is don’t create a void that other people can fill.
@ConcernFae I think your last sentence is exactly what many of us are saying when we talk about their comms strategy. No one is saying they need the DM on speed dial or they need to call the paparazzi every time they go grocery shopping or whatever. But there’s a line between not feeding the beast and creating a void that gets filled by others, and right now I think they’re walking that line, but the point many of us are trying to make is that they’re in danger of creating that void.
No, you don’t feed the beast. Imagine the carrying on if they did monthly updates. I think their strategy is great. Once they start engaging with these people it will NEVER stop. These stories are put out constantly to goad them into reacting. At this point , I honestly think most of these stories are just pulled out of the air.
The quotes are dubious to me but I do believe that Meghan has moved on. The Windsors have caused her a lot of grief and I think she has decided that it’s not worth her mental health to have any relationship with the Royal Family, hence she didn’t go to the coronation.
I think Meghan has learned to block out the negativity as much as possible for her mental health. She didn’t really have negative press before she dated Harry, and then it was just an onslaught, even though it seemed to come in waves, until October 2018 when it just went full steam ahead. I think she learned for her mental health to ignore as much as possible because you just can’t respond to every single negative story.
I also think she is probably in a place of….peace? Acceptance? When it comes to the royals. Like now the royal family has no power over her, she has no obligation to them, so it is probably much easier for her now to say to Harry “whatever makes you happy, whatever you think is best” when it comes to his family. It’s much easier to deal with toxic family members when they no longer have power over you, you know? That’s not to say she’s not supportive of Harry having a relationship with them or something, I just think she’s reached this place where they are her in-laws, nothing more.
Anyway overall their life in Montecito sounds lovely and sounds like what Harry always dreamed of for his kids. they can play freely, they’re not under a microscope, and H&M are just two more wealthy members of a very wealthy neighborhood/town.
I don’t think a People article that reads like a repurposed “Kate loves her kids so she can’t work” story should be something that is the basis of a debate about their comms team.
If it was a real industry paper like variety then that’s different, but People has been a tabloid forever and Meghan is not contacting People mag just to say she wants to be with her kids. That’s not her MO. Especially since this story seems to exclude Harry from the child rearing and that is not what the real life situation is for them. It’s William that shows up when he wants.
People has been a tabloid for ages but its taken much more seriously in the US than InTouch or something. And I don’t mean “seriously” like people expect hard hitting journalism from it, but its not the same as the Daily Mail etc. And obviously H&M agree with that bc Harry gave People an exclusive in December for Spare, so People is still on their list of publications they will interact with.
Regardless, I don’t think this article is the reason we are debating their comms strategy at the moment. I think the discussion is part of the bigger picture here and I think its been pretty interesting overall.
Not this People article, but the comms issue rose up from the other one. But both are pretty sketch sources. And where is the similar analysis from People about other celebrities? They don’t do this and I would like to know where British royalist Simon Perry plays into this.
Now if Hollywood Reporter or Variety does a real analysis of their business approach, then that needs to be taken seriously.
But this is more targeted “concern” coming from sources that are not knowledgeable in the industry and very disingenuous. Did they do this for the Obamas? Who also left Spotify among other things.
I just think we need to be careful on what is forming the basis of this comms analysis.
People here are free to suggest what they want, and it’s not the comments here that are the issue, but the constant daily false stories put out by tabloids and by pseudo tabloids like People who pretend they are providing legitimate advice.
Even though the article is very upbeat (thankfully!), it is still anonymously sourced and therefore impossible to judge for accuracy. One reason for a comms team is to provide reliable sources for positive media coverage.
Did People even contact Harry and Meghan’s team for a comment? They have said that sources don’t speak for them anymore.
They just released a whole video! What more do people want? We know Harry is going to Singapore and they both are going to Germany. Duh?
Since May, the Sussexes were chased and called grifters by that rogue Spotify dude and it feels like the recent uptick in trashing them has unnerved some supporters. But remember that people/media have been chasing and calling Harry and Meghan names for years. There is really nothing the Sussexes can do to fight the name calling but it upsets us because we only see one-side; we don’t know what great projects and collabs the Sussexes are working on to defend against this narrative. So are we asking for a comms team to make ourselves feel better? I like that they announce what they want, respond to what they want, sue whom they want at their leisure and don’t dance for the tabloid wackos and derangers. Status quo silence from the Sussexes indicates to me that they continue to be the ones in control.
Agreed. I said this yesterday but we don’t know their financial situation I think a lot of the concern regarding the comm strategy is out of a legitimate concern that it may impact their ability to do business and make money. But unlike actors or musicians they aren’t really selling a product. I mean I know they released books and documentaries but I don’t recall them ever actually saying please buy this. Having large scale success from the masses purchasing their products genuinely may not be their focus, it may have just been a way to get seed money to do what they really wanted much like Meghan and acting. If the people in the philanthropy world where they seem to be moving like to work with them, that’s what’s probably most important to them
The nastiness during the month of may and June was depressing. It really scared people. but I agree the Sussexes are in full control and the press don’t like it. The leaks from the palace have stopped because Harry and Meghan called them out on it and these rumors aren’t making a splash because Harry and Meghan aren’t playing the confirm, deny game. The press want any kind of response. When you have Kinsey Schofield say that they wouldn’t be doing all this gossip and guessing if the Sussexes let them into their world, let me know, they are losers who are losing. That was the closest thing to begging.
IOW, “We’re going to assault you. If you just let us, it will be easier on you.”
Finally@harper, some honest to god common sense. Thank you for putting it out there. Well done
Well said, Harper.
I can’t think of another person, throughout the history of time, that has had to deal with a sustained barrage of hate, that seems to be dedicated to rolling along in perpetuity. I don’t see how a better communications team could alleviate any of it, so I just hope what they are doing now is bringing them a measure of peace.
Thank you! I agree wholeheartedly. People need to calm down and stop clutching their pearls.
Harry and Meghan are doing just fine. People who are interested in their work know what they are doing and actively spread the good work. I don’t understand the mindset of some supporters who have never experienced a fraction of what these two have endured, insisting that they need to entertain the media in their click-bait game of perpetually moving goalposts, ignoring the toll this has had on their mental health in the past.
They are starving the beast and they are thriving. Only those who allow themselves to be swept up into the negative and blatantly false narratives keep insisting that they need to publicise their work. Their work gets publicised plenty. People really need to stop becoming hysterical based on the agenda of those who mean to harm this couple for daring to cut off all access. More and more people are seeing these “reports” for what they are. Harry and Meghan are playing the long game. And it is working.
*actively spread the word (of their work) far and wide.
I’ll also add that their work so far would not have been such successes if people, even non-royal-watchers, weren’t interested in what they had to offer.
The negativity towards the Sussexes will not stop anytime soon. It has since 2018 become a national sport amongst UK, and Australian media and commentators to relentlessly thrash the Sussexes at every opportunity .
Therefore I agree with the Sussexes to largely ignore the media. I love the fact that they have never engaged with the likes of Piers Morgan, Angela Levin, Dan Wootton etc in spite of their mean spirited and vile articles and comments
Which is they want and people don’t seem to realize it. The BM will never be satisfied until Meghan and Harry give them unfettered access and kiss the ring. The book and documentary did a good job getting people hip to the tabloid game. It doesn’t hit like it used to anymore. Piers has been wanting interviews and acknowledgment from these two for years and they let him look like the crazy loser he is with his one sided feud. Sometimes you have to let the crazy destroy themselves and that’s exactly what they’ve done especially in regards to some of those British commentators.
I guess because I am such an obsessively private person and am able to tune out the noise in my own family, I get the Sussexes not engaging while letting the nonsense run rampant. Because Harry was such a key member of his birth family the folks in the UK still wants to claim ownership of him and refuses to let him go. Allowing the noise to run rampant could be part of the Sussexes strategy. Addressing the noise will only give the gutter press there an opportunity to create more noise expecting more responses and engagement from the Sussexes. This cycle would never end just as creating the noise will never end. I am of the school of thought where you allow the perpetrators to kill themselves one cut at a time with their nonsense while you keep moving forth. Addressing the noise is a lose lose situation, from my perspective it places you on the defensive side which the gutter press is angling for. By not addressing while it allows their nonsense to be the talking point, it leaves your mind clear as you attend to the present. What is killing those gutter tags in the UK is the Sussexes completely ignoring them as it they do not exist, because in essence they are not a part of their every day lives.
More clarity could have been provided re their decision to not renew with Spotify but would this have actually changed any form of narrative the gutter press created? The hope of the gutter press there is for the Sussexes to fail but this will not happen because of how intelligent the Sussexes are and their ability to keep looking forward. Like most supporters, I would love to see more of the Sussexes and to be privy to some of what they are working on and or doing but patience is one of my virtues and I will await what they have in store. In addition, People Magazine is not a source to be used for reporting on the Sussexes because like many of us, they have zero clues and sources re this couple, it is only supposition they are operating from. I respect the Sussexes method of navigating the quagmire they are in because of Harry’s birth family and the need for the gutter UK press to console themselves that they are winning. But because of the amount of time and energy they excerpt to say the Sussexes are failures lets me know who is actually winning this battle. A picture alone of the Sussexes gets global attention while the Wales and Windsors are relegated to coverage by their gutter UK conspirators.
@Maxinebranch “Allowing the noise to run rampant could be part of the Sussexes strategy. Addressing the noise will only give the gutter press there an opportunity to create more noise expecting more responses and engagement from the Sussexes.” Yelp, that’s it “hit the nail on the head.”
Meghan and Harry are doing what is best for them. Going into a pissing contest with the tabloids just drags them back to that morass that is the BRF. The Sussexes probably know the gossip rags want them to engage in a PR blitz because they want content and they want to be the ones to “rehabilitate” the Sussexes’ image and they will be beholden to them. The fact that organizations want to work with them means not everyone drinks the BM Kool aid.
Yep. The press are still trying to get them beholden to the papers . They’re also bored of the other royals and don’t have the balls to say it. Their golden geese don’t care about them or their opinions and it’s bothers them because they’re used to getting the royals and other public figures to jump for them. They don’t know what to do because nothing is working. Not threats, not bullying and harassment. Nothing.
There is no comms strategy to deal with people who are willing to lie, misinform and obfuscate. The Sussexes have never used there work as promotion for themselves. They are not going to use their work to combat the ish. The people who put out the constant negativity are not operating in good faith. They are not going to stop just because the Sussexes put out more content. They both have a history of working behind the scenes then showing the results. Their projects thrive despite the negativity. The Spotify contract wasn’t renewed. Its hardly the end of the world. They don’t need to rethink how they work because of Spotify.
I agree.
THIS. Exactly THIS. Excellent summary.
A life well lived, is the best revenge. Loving, living, careing about others and supporting causes close to your hearts is the way to mental calm and a happy family life. Employ a decent coms team so that they can put out what YOU want said and let those stories combat the negativity, failing that, send all those pathetic Little rag reporters a fork and tell them to eat soup!?!
Loving the give them a fork and tell them to eat soup 🍴
Also. There is clearly a converted effort to create the impression that there is a divide between Harry and Meghan on perspective and approach. Which I think is BS. The fact that Harry wants to clarify how he has been misrepresented and want to right past wrongs doesn’t mean that he is also focused on the present and the future. It’s not either/or situation. The headline Meghan is focused on HER children is shady. Archie and Lili are THEIR children but they always try to divide them when it comes to the children. The idea that Meghan is somehow not fully on board with Harry’s book and is court cases attempt to imply some tension between them. They gone from claiming that Meghan was some sort of puppet master leading Harry astray to claiming that she’s not that involved. It’s all shady. I think People mag went looking for confirmation of those divorce rumors; couldn’t find any and then went with this basic ish. But they layer in the shady.
Just a quickie, I lay in bed last night, couldn’t sleep so did a dive on some things being said by honest reporting (I know hard to find in the UK) but, I did find a peice from someone called Angela mallard (or Molland), please remember I was dossed up lol) she gave an honest insight to how rags are making their money over here. She said, the only way they are making money is to talk about the crown, mexit or Spare and those are the biggest money spinners
You only have to mention Harry or Megan and your guaranteed lots of readers and lots of clicks, but, if you mention Charles, Camilla, William or Kate, WITHOUT including the names of Harry and Megan, your figures drop through the floor. So yes our two favourite people STILL leave the others in the shade (where they belong)
Here is the comm. problem, as I see it, if I go out and ask 100 people what causes they support, I don’t think anybody could name one. That’s a problem.
” if I go out and ask 100 people what causes they support, I don’t think anybody could name one”
That’s cool. They are not running for office. When they promote a charity or a project, that gets a lot of publicity anyway. So, everyone hears about it. That’s their goal, I believe.
Agreed. The same applies for the many philanthropists that exist. The point is not to be known but to help others.
So Tamra this is exactly what I meant above, in your example that would have to be followed by Harry and Meghan asking those hundred people for money, they never do. They’ve never asked any of their supporters to give money to anything people just do it out of the kindness of their hearts, because they highlighted a worthy organization. Now I think a different situation and the one that’s more likely happening is Harry and Meghan in the room with Jamie Dimon, Warren Buffett, Jimmy Iovine or Jennifer Pritzker and saying can we have a million dollars for Archewell see our prospectus on the success we’ve had with Clvr Blends, the 19th ,Ving. Etc. The people that they need the support from to do the stuff they want to they appear to be getting. Everything else I think is just supporters thinking they have a different goal.
@tamra
On the other hand, charities that they support are getting real help and that we know. Is this another case of people wondering if we didn’t hear it, it didn’t happen? How does more people naming their charities help unless they need those people to donate? Obviously they have sufficient funding to do what they intend to do. They are not trying to give the Gates Foundation a run for their money.
Tamra – Have you watched the excellent Netflix series Live to Lead? Anyhow dunno if I figure into ur 100 ppl, but I donated this year on the basis of Live to Lead profiles. Wouldn’t have known about it without M-H.
Not a look at me kind of publicity, a publicity for the cause and where to give! You know, like Cain and Cannot don’t do!
Not sure how much weight i put on this story but my read on H&M has always been that while Harry can take a lot of stuff to heart and used to seem kind of obsessed with retribution Meghan has always been allergic to drama and never wanted to engage with mess and i think that’s why she drove the snakes that were around her in the UK so insane. Narcissists need people to engage with them; they think they are entitled to your time and energy. Meghan refusing to play with their mess seems to have really frustrated not just members of that ‘family” but also their deranged cohorts in the media and the fact that after saying his peace in Spare Harry has now adopted a similar approach to protect his mental health and enjoy his life seems to be sending them over the edge. Every day those psychos in the UK press are obsessively trying to get H&M to respond by writing a new more insane smear every day and they get NOTHING in return. Womp womp.
My question is, what do you all think having a “better” comms strategy would achieve? Because we already know that the British media and the entire Murdoch apparatus that includes AU and the NY Post will actively ignore any positive news unless it can be spun into a negative. The Sussexes already get coverage in places like Variety, People, the NY Times, Glamour, Town and Country, Harper’s Bazaar, etc etc, with their current media strategy. If they start going on a full-tilt media tour every time they fund a charity, their charity work starts to look self-serving and like a prop rather than a mission for them. They would also risk hitting that saturation point where people get sick of them because don’t forget, the British media has not stopped attacking them and continues to flood every channel, paper, and site with vitriolic lies about them. The Sussexes jumping in to try and say “Well actually, this is what we’ve been working on” would simply be drowned out with spin about them seeking attention again, or worse the charities would be subjected to harassment like we’ve seen happen countless times before. When they have something to promote, like the docuseries or Spare, they DO participate in interviews and promotion as appropriate.
I’d say their current comms strategy is working beautifully, despite unprecented conditions: Meghan had an award-winning podcast, a NY Times bestselling children’s book, Harry is part of a slew of successful companies and has the bestselling memoir of the year so far, their docuseries was a huge success, they’ve established an award with the NAACP, they built a playground in Uvalde, and there’s way more to come. So, what would a “better comms strategy” accomplish? They have a comms strategy that actually recognizes the unique situation they’re in: they’re being actively targeted in a smear campaign funded by bad actors inside the palace and their media collaborators. They’re actively suing to take down the British media behemoth, they’re working behind the scenes on safer spaces online (read: pressuring social media companies to DO SOMETHING about anonymous harassment and bots), and they’re not going to feed the beast by opening an Instagram account just so you, personally, can see more pictures of them.
Their charities are funded, we all know what they are – if you want more information, follow the charities. Their projects are successful, and most importantly Harry and Meghan are safe and happy. Sometimes it feels like people forget just how big of a target they are. Literal N*zis are in prison for threatening their lives. They were just part of a highly suspicious and dangerous car chase. Very powerful people want them gone, forever. They don’t need an email newsletter to update you on their every move.
Agreed.
Well said, Sunday! I completely agree.
@Sunday WOW you basically summed it all up! Love it 😍
Thank you, @Sunday. Exactly this.
Yep, this.
Well said, I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment.
I think Meghan and Harry are handling things fine. They are not just battling the tabloids, they are battling the system on which our whole social order in Western civilization is based upon. White grievance about black and brown people over running “white” countries and institutions is seen throughout the West. Brexit/Megxit anyone? Although many people wouldn’t blink an eye if the British monarchy was abolished, there are clearly those willing to fight tooth and nail to keep the status quo. Battling THAT is really the issue. I don’t think M&H are trying to do in the crown but their detractors clearly do think that is their end game it seems. And, also, H&M, and this whole drama, draws clicks and views = $$$ to tabloid new sites. The actual people and relationships involved in all this are just collateral damage. This is why Harry’s court proceedings are so important, imo. But I think they do PR appropriately. They lay low and only come out when they have news, like the video announcement they made earlier this week. And now we get the People feature. Both of these media events will help to squash the impending divorce, Harry lives in LA nonsense that’s been spreading. They’ll lay low again and more gossip chatter will start back up because the tabloids will miss them. An endless wash & repeat cycle. H&M, just continue to live your best lives! Living well is the best revenge.
Doria is such a beautiful woman. Great legs too.
In all the official statements Meghan has said she’s moving on, she wants Harry to have a relationship with his father, she’s healing etc. the quotes in this story are weird because they sound like they’ve been picked up out of context. Between the people article and the US weekly it feels like they tried to be positive but still couldn’t help dive into the tabloid narratives. You can tell this wasn’t coming from Harry and Meghan’s team but most likely a product of the writers strike..
What seems to be constant in both is that they are living and building their life together.
The Sussexes are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
Comms is an area that can ALWAYS be improved, but there’s simply no way to combat the tidal wave of crap directed at H&M by the British media hatemongers.
The Sussexes aren’t in the business of performative service, like the British royals are. H&M are committed to doing actual good work, and they’re doing it. I think that’s their priority, along with raising their kids in a happy, peaceful, as normal-as-possible setting.
They emerge from their Montecito sanctuary when they want to amplify their causes, but it doesn’t seem like they’re interested in media accolades. They want results, not empty PR — and they know better than anyone that the media spotlight is punishing and cruel. They’ve opted out of that game.
This statement summarizes it all!! If they cared about the media game and PR they would have done things a lot differently. Shoot Harry wouldn’t have sued either.
I think as fans we WANT them to care about all of that partly because we want them to succeed above the hateful royals but their goals aren’t ours.
They have enough money to live quiet lives forever. They don’t need to do anything else again.
I think they prioritize truth, their charities and their family.
They’re not necessarily out to become billionaires even though that’s what I want.
Sophia Bush just talked about how the projects and brands she works with reflect her values but she’s had to say no to a lot. Her team has also told her to be less of an activist but she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.
She’s very similar to Meghan and Harry in that way.
It doesn’t win you a lot of fans especially in this day and age when it’s all about excess and ego.
They’re not trying to sell themselves but their charities instead.
Amen! I wish I could praise this a thousand times: they’ve opted out of that game. And this approach is clearly serving them well, regardless of what naysayers have convinced themselves.
LMFAO
CODSWALLOP!
None of this crap from peoplemag is true…….not a single piece of shidt in the blurb at the head of this thread applies to the Sussexes. Peoplemag is the same shidtrag that said the complete opposite a couple days ago, including pushing the same bile you can find in the britshidtmedia.
PFFFTTTT!!!!
The Sussexes often say things (including during the period they were in The Cult) that might slip by the average listener and then, down the road, the thing they said comes to fruition or theres a synergy and everyone is amazed or shocked or scream that theyre trying to bring down The Cult. (LMFAO) Case in point: rmbr that infamous “Fab 4” event in early 2018 before M&H married? On that same platform, you can hear H’s hint about his plans regarding eco-tourism (tho I dont recall him using those exact words); and then, by late 2019 Travalyst was launched and now, it is backed by the biggest names in travel, whose combined assets number in the trillions.
And there are folks, like me, who retain almost every ‘from-the-horses-mouths’ utterance of H&M, including the fact that they issued an official release, which hasnt been withdrawn or over-ridden and therefore remains in effect, in which they unequivocally state that they DO NOT respond to britshidtrags; and their inner circle (some of whom can be seen in their Netflix docuseries) DO NOT even f@rt on shidtragmedia.
I am so in tune with the Sussex’s ethos that: you could ask me anything about what H revealed in Spare and I very likely could accurately point you to the section where he said it; am very familiar with their O interview; likewise H’s promo interviews for Spare; M’s interview in the Cut, followed by the accompanying brief video interview; and all their other post-brexshidt utterances.
And then I peruse this gossip site (which seems at least a tier above the others) and see all the disinformation narratives and outright lies being pushed by the britshidtmedia, aided and abetted by all their hate-for-profit cohorts and other agenda-driven bandwagonists.
And I larf.
Exactly
Nothing new(s) in this People article. They just scrape together bids and pieces from old tabloid/gossipy pieces. Anybody who follows the gossip about H&M could have put this piece together for them, if that’s the direction one wants to go; stating the known about them and gossip about the old gossip.
It’s amazing how a video of the Sussexes looking amazing and incredibly attractive, positively engaged is the work they care about, and very much together has blown to smithereens all the nasty ludicrous rumors the tabloids put out. Now it’s all phoenix from the ashes nonsense, comeback stories ( from what exactly?)and how their marriage is now solid, as if any of those silly rumors made any sense. Meanwhile it’s Thursday in the Sussex household, kids are down for their naps and they’re probably in meetings and making dinner plans.
Harry and Meghan started this independent lifestyle in 2020 under duress, living in someone’s mansion protected with someone’s security with a toddler and a pregnancy. In the docuseries, Doria said it seemed like they were running. They were running for their lives, Mama Doria and few people understand what that entails. They have endured severe trauma that doesn’t go away overnight. They have served as fodder for media hacks, bloggers, talk shows, tabloids, paps, etc., for seven years as of July 1, 2023. Philanthropic work is what they love to do. Warren Buffet is one of the wealthiest philanthropists in the world, and you seldom hear his name mentioned.
When people say they need a communications team, they, like so many others, see Harry and Meghan as entertainment and want to hear from them and see them regularly. Anyone that followed Meghan before Harry knows she’s about something other than constant visibility. Most people understand what privacy means even though the British media has misinterpreted the word for years to muster personal attacks against them whenever they are visible. Some so-called supporters threaten to stop supporting them whenever they decide to do something they disagree with, such as attend the Queen’s Jubilee. The number of people who said on social media they would remove their support if she went to the Coronation. The sharing of pap pictures of the children the minute they drop. Suppose you believe Spotify was a failure on their part and that Bill Simmon’s labeling them grifters because WME outbid him deserves pushback. How can a communications team convince you otherwise? Why must they debunk the ridiculous UK tabloid stories? What low-wage hotel worker wouldn’t have sold the story about Harry being a permanent resident? Legal separation and divorce filings are public records. It’s a Harry and Meghan obsession.
The Suits revival across multiple streaming sources has invalidated the “Meghan was nobody before Harry,” “She’s a Z-list actress,” and “She’s a golddigger” lines created by the British media compliments of the Royal family. Who persuaded Netflix that rebuilding her image was a great PR/Comms move?
I’m placing my confidence in Harry and Meghan’s camaraderie and WME. Turn off the Salt Island noise. They’ve quickly become multi-millionaires, and most of their critics’ lives haven’t changed much. Can we give them grace, be patient, and allow them to focus on their visions without all the armchair expert advice?
Agreed. Only M&H truly know what they have been through and why they are making the choices they make. Both are incredibly astute and are looking at a longer-range vision than instagram likes. They have shown themselves to be incredibly skilled at navigating rough waters, and it is never helpful to have people shouting from dry land how to navigate the waters only they actually endure.
Also, People magazine can F off. It’s nothing but trash, with the occasional “neutral” article so that the other veiled smears can slip in. People magazine is not even worthy of lining a litter box.
I believe that thus far, H&M are winning their PR battle. It’s an unconventional strategy: the Oprah interview, the docuseries, and the book, Spare – all set out the truth and pulled the curtain back on the brf and the tabloids. H&M told the truth, putting the brf and the tabloids on the defensive. And they’re making money in the process. Sweet.
Harry and Meghan don’t need popularity or the public’s fickle approval in order to make money. It’s the grifters in the royal family who do.
Instead of spending their efforts to answer the answer the daily barrage of lies, I see Harry as working fearlessly to eradicate the evil that is the tabloids – hence the many lawsuits. Cut them off at the source.
Yes, I feel huge frustration when I see all the made-up lies but I keep in mind that the Sussexes are at war with very powerful forces – the tabloids – forces that even the royal family are scared sh!tless of. ‘Madness,’ quoth Chuck the Turd.
I think that after everything that the RF comm teams put them through,they’re probably gun shy now.Who can they trust after all the leaking that went on?It will take some time to get comfortable.
As much as I want H&M to pushback because of my utter disgust of the BM & the RF, it’s will not help as both of these parties are completely unhinged. As so many people have said in previous posts it just feeds the beast and as long as H&M says nothing it just makes them make up more lies and makes them look even more crazy & obsessed (BM & RF) in which they really are.
I hope that they decide to do an interview with Gayle King or another major interviewer. Their Oprah interview was very well received and brought them tremendous support and understanding. Harry’s TV interviews were also acclaimed due to his wit and comic timing and brought him both public warmth and calls to do a talk show! The Duke and Duchess are both articulate and endearing- when (and if) they decide to do another interview, it would doubtless go a very long way to re-building the goodwill they experienced before the BM hate campaign that was launched after the Oprah interview.
I will say let the Sussexes be the Sussexes-Harry and Meghan have their own way of doing things which includes THEIR children-they take what they do seriously and prepare accordingly-anyone can be a loud-mouth trash talking idiot-fighting on social media makes me turn away or click off-life is too short to participate in that kind of messiness-Give Harry and Meghan kudos for maintaining their cool and continuing working on projects and charities they care about-their service is universal.
I rather take People and US Weekly than any of the nasty and trashy British tabloids. I agree with @angie above that if any of those British journalists did their abusive sh$t here they would have been fired a long time ago.
Im not expecting HM life here in the US to be perfect. We all learn from failures and mistakes and make them better- that’s actually the American way anyways. And Harry again gets big brownie points on loving and embracing his life in the US as pointed in the article. That’s sooo relatable to many Americans. And that’s why he’s more popular here than William can ever be.