Which of these events contributed most to the discolouration of the monument to the British monarchy?
– What Harry and Meghan did. They revealed the behind-the-scenes of the family’s life, whether in a Netflix film or in a book written by the prince. It’s not just about what they said there, but also about the fact that they broke the eternal rule of the Palace’s public relations, that is, “never complain, never explain” (author’s note). balance between what can be revealed to the public and what is not said in order to shape their image. An image that is constantly tarnished, often by the family members themselves and often saved, directly or indirectly, by palace officials through communication. that in the face of Harry and Meghan opening the door to the family’s privacy, the public around the world wants to know more and more about the family’s internal situation and often seeks a “bottom line”, adding to what was not said. This was clearly visible in the case of Duchess Kate’s illness. The palace failed to balance protecting the Duchess’s privacy and the public’s thirst for information.
What was missing?
— Transparency. This information, provided in an appropriate manner, can have a positive impact on your image and even encourage prevention. But the Palace’s messages were superficial and often left many questions unanswered. By leaving people without answers for so long, they gave rise to hundreds of conspiracy theories. From Kate’s alleged affair with one of the recently deceased members of the royal family, to absurdities such as the fact that she had surgery on her buttocks and that is why she disappeared.
It is a sign of the times that most of these theories were invented and promoted by “internet sleuths” on social media platforms, and not by the old tradition of gossip portals. Of course, I understand that the illness took the royal family by surprise and being under such an attack was certainly difficult for William and Kate’s family. However, we are dealing with a serious institution, the royal family, and it is high time to implement better crisis management if the royal family does not want to lose its sympathy. After all, this is important because, in the end, it brings financial benefits to the UK and to the family itself.
Meaning?
— The royal family is one of the reasons why tourists come to the UK. Brand Finance estimates that in total – thanks to tourism and souvenir sales, among others – the monarchy generates approximately £2.5 billion in revenue annually. This offsets the costs that the British incur in “maintaining” the royal family. However, if their popularity drops significantly, this could change.
So should they change the way they communicate to make it better? Follow Harry and Meghan’s example?
— Without exaggeration, the royal family has centuries of tradition and yet the monarch is the head of state. Note that not only do we know little about Kate’s illness, but also little about her herself. She is nice, helpful and hard-working. These are things that can be said about many people. And this tactic of extreme secrecy works well in times of calm, but as we have seen recently, not necessarily in times of crisis. However, Harry and Meghan’s behavior has not won them any fans either. According to many British ratings, they are the second most hated member of the family. Right after Prince Andrew.
The couple decided to stage their exit from the royal family in true Hollywood style. With appearances on famous shows, a film, a book. As they say, “they told their story.” And probably if it were about things that happen in Hollywood, about behind-the-scenes battles, they would become heroes by revealing the secrets of the business. However, when the secrets revealed belong to the royal family, many people consider them traitors. And people who want to damage the family’s reputation, for example, by talking about alleged racist behavior, in order to profit from it. Sometimes it is difficult to understand the motivation behind such actions, and some people even claim that Harry is simply jealous of his brother’s position and did everything to make his life miserable. There is no middle ground in all this, because the family goes to extremes: either we talk everything or nothing.
It’s amazing how distant brothers who were once considered inseparable are today. Do you think the conflict between them was the main cause of megxit?
— He certainly contributed a lot to that. It is said that the brothers grew closer after their mother died. I think we have all seen the touching photos of the two of them walking behind the coffin. They supported each other because they were the closest to each other. And so the public also expected this closeness. For a long time, they were portrayed as perfect brothers. Since Kate arrived, they have become the “fab three”. They worked together like the three musketeers. And then Harry got involved with Meghan, which did not entirely please William, who, as Harry writes in his book, believed that their relationship was developing too quickly and that Meghan did not really fit in with the family.
For a while, it was thought that Meghan had turned the tide of their relationship. But it was never perfect. However, many people only learned about this from the books “The Battle of Brothers” by Robert Lacey and “The Other” by Prince Harry. Indeed, Harry may have had a brother complex. But their paths and approaches to life were also different. Furthermore, Harry served in Afghanistan, which also affected his psyche and the way he approaches others. The book shows that he spent his entire life searching for his path and place for himself, as well as spiritual solace.
Harry and Meghan have fled, given up their duties, and yet act as if they are still fulfilling them. They were recently in Nigeria in connection with the Invictus Games initiative of sports competitions for wounded soldiers and veterans, which the prince has led for years. In theory, it was unrelated to the family, but it still felt like a royal visit.
— In fact, they visited hospitals and schools there, Meghan changed her clothes a hundred times, attended official banquets. I have the impression that this couple is still trying to find their way. And how to make money, because – let’s face it – their living costs are high and it is unlikely that they will suddenly give up a large estate in Montecito for a three-room apartment in a tenement. Their cooperation with Netflix and, above all, with Harry’s book certainly made them a lot of money. However, the topic of leaving the family was starting to fade a little. So now they are trying different things – they are traveling around the world, and Meghan is starting a lifestyle brand and announcing that she will sell jams and napkins… It’s all inconsistent and it will probably take some time before they figure things out. The palace does not react to this in accordance with its principle of not reacting or commenting.
Is there a chance that they will ever return to their duties?
— It is probably formally possible. Especially since they have not been removed from any list of potential members of the royal family. And Harry is still a member of the group of state counsellors. These are several people who are in line to the throne and at the same time support the king. They can take over his functions, for example, when he leaves the country. The royal family is reluctant to remove members of this elite group of five people, and Prince Andrew is still in it. However, given how much antipathy Harry currently arouses in British society and how strained his relations with the rest of his family are, I doubt he will be given the opportunity to return to royal duties.
Will there be no return to the monarchy as we have known it for years?
– NO. Their appearance may be restored by William and Kate when they take the throne and normalize family relations, but after that it will be a different, younger generation. There is also a chance that they will become a bit more like the Scandinavian monarchies, where the court structure is simplified, members of the royal families ride legendary bicycles and seem more approachable. It would require a lot of reform, but I think people would look at it sympathetically.
