Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have an “ace” up their sleeve which they can utilise whenever things turn sour regarding their reputation, a PR expert has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been recently separated as a brand as Harry embarked on a trip to New York City to attend a number of events during UN General Assembly High-Level Week and Climate Week.
Later in the week, the duke is set to travel to London to attend the WellChild Awards on September 30.
Now a PR expert said that Harry going solo is a smart move which can further boost his reputation as when the Sussexes make joint appearances it only fuels controversy and “drama”.
Doug Eldridge, a celebrity branding and marketing expert and the founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News: “This is akin to splitting aces at the poker table: together you’d think they’re unbeatable — and normally they would be — but oftentimes it’s better to play two separate hands with an ace as an anchor,” Eldridge explained.
“Right now, when you see Harry and Meghan together, it conjures an immediate association to the drama, none of which is positive: leaving the Royal Family, the tell-all book, the sit-downs, the negativity. By contrast, when seen separately, they can almost play their hand, just like the pair of aces you split at the table.”
He added that when Harry appears solo he can present himself as the “charming guy he was always thought of” while Meghan can be “free to brand her forthcoming line of goods”.
The expert explained: “For her, the royal tag is no longer applicable and the affiliation with Harry hasn’t been selling — at least not to the consumer numbers that she would need to be a viable brand.”
“In the long run, I don’t know if this will be beneficial for their partnership, but in the short term, it could be productive for their public relations battles.”
During his appearance at the Clinton Global Initiative this week, the duke gave a passionate speech on online harm and called for action to tackle the “pervasive threat” the online world poses for children.
In his 11-minute address, Harry stressed the surges in anxiety and depression linked to social media platforms, with challenges compounded by the spread of “unreliable and unfounded information”.
He said: “These platforms are designed to create addiction. Young people are kept there by mindless, endless, numbing, scrolling, being force-fed content that no child should ever be exposed to. This is not free will. I, like many of you, did not grow up with a phone. Young people today possess an incredible understanding of technology that older generations may struggle to grasp.”
Meanwhile, Meghan is bracing for her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard’s launch as well as the launch for her latest cooking show with Netflix, which is due to be released soon.
