PR experts: How Meghan Markle, Harry should handle workplace comments

• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s leadership style is under scrutiny again.
• PR experts say the couple can change the conversation around them by focusing on service.
• They also said Prince Harry’s recent solo appearances are a strong move for the couple.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are under scrutiny again.

In recent weeks, conflicting reports about Harry and Meghan’s behavior as bosses have been published by the US media, reigniting a debate that erupted in British tabloids in 2021.

Meghan and Harry have not publicly commented on the reports, which question their leadership skills and the work environments they create, but PR experts say the couple could change the narrative by leaning into philanthropic work.

Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not respond to a request for comment.

Conflicting reports in the workplace

On September 12, The Hollywood Reporter published an article about Harry and Meghan’s former chief of staff, Josh Kettler, who resigned in August. The piece quoted an anonymous source who said some employees were “terrified” of Meghan.

Kettler did not respond to a request for comment from BI about his resignation. However, he appeared to address the THR report in a Sept. 24 US Weekly article, describing the couple as “committed and hardworking.”

The article featured several other testimonies from former Sussex staffers who spoke positively of their time with Meghan and Harry, including their former chief of staff, Catherine St-Laurent, and their former head of content, Ben Browning.

Their global press secretary, Ashley Hansen, also praised her bosses to US Weekly, recounting the couple’s support when she had to undergo surgery.

The Daily Beast also reported that an unnamed source from Harry and Meghan’s team said THR’s report was “fabricated” and “total bullshit.” But the positive reviews and reactions haven’t stopped negative headlines about Meghan and Harry’s leadership.

The back and forth appears to be the second part of the debate that continued in the British press in 2021 when The Times of London reported that Meghan harassed two staff members in 2018 during her time as a senior royal before their interview with Oprah Winfrey. The Duke and Duchess denied the allegations at the time, with a spokesman for the couple calling the reports a “calculated smear campaign”.

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Buckingham Palace announced it was investigating the allegations in March 2021, although the results were never made public. According to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand’s royal memoir Finding Freedom, two staffers retracted the allegations they made against the duchess.

Despite the mixed reviews, experts told BI that recent comments about Meghan and Harry’s management style point to a need for a change in their PR strategy.

A new strategy

Evan Nierman, CEO and founder of the global PR firm Red Banyantold the BI that the latest reports are a sign that the “honeymoon period is long gone” for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in terms of their public support.

Megan Balyk, vice president of Jive PR + Digital, also noted that because the couple’s business ventures haven’t been particularly successful and they’ve “crossed paths with so many different people,” they’ve made themselves more susceptible to mixed thoughts. on their leadership.

Nierman and Balyk said it would be best for Harry and Meghan to focus on philanthropic and service-oriented appearances in the coming months rather than flashier ventures.

For example, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex traveled to Colombia in August to speak at the Responsible Digital Future Summit at Universidad Ean at the invitation of Vice President Francia Márquez.

The trip seemed authentic to Harry and Meghan’s mission to champion international causes, leading to a flurry of positive coverage.

Balyk said Meghan, in particular, has a “superpower” in public service because of her ability to connect with women and girls around the globe.

“I had a chance to meet Meghan from afar when I was in Cape Town,” Balyk said. “I remember being so impressed by how much she is inspiring young women.”

“If she was able to use that, whether she’s doing public speaking initiatives at different universities around the world and focusing more on the nonprofit side, that’s where she’s able to move the needle and have a lasting impact.” ,” she added.

Solo appearances from the prince might help

Harry has recently made several solo appearances, speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City and joining Jimmy Fallon on his “Tonightmares” haunted house. On Monday, he attended the Wellchild Awards in London.

Nierman said these solo outings are a boon for the couple because some of their recent coverage has painted Meghan as the dominant force in their relationship.

“I think part of the narrative that took hold was this idea that Meghan is the one in control and that she’s the one who pushed him to break up with his family,” Nierman said.

However, Harry appeared to say as early as 2020 that it was his choice for the couple to step back as members of the royal family.

Balyk told BI that by only attending a few engagements, Harry can remind the public that he is an adult who makes his own decisions and ensure that he and Meghan are not “overexposed” as a unit. She added that Harry’s individual appearances “have just been a positive experience”.

“People resonate with some of what he’s really passionate about, whether it’s mental health or what have you, and people have a soft spot in their heart for him,” she said.

Harry and Meghan appear to be thinking as strategically as Nierman and Balyk. On Friday, Sentebale, the charity Prince Harry co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, announced that Harry and Seeiso will meet in Lesotho in October to work on “sustainable solutions for youth and community prosperity in the region”.

He appeared set to embark on the trip on Tuesday, with Senate Princess Seeiso sharing on her Instagram story that she hosted Harry for lunch.

Harry’s solo philanthropic trip to Africa could be just what the Sussexes’ reputation needs.