They will host their first in-person Archewell Foundation event which will take place on World Mental Health Day next week on October 10. And now an expert said they plan to “do their best” to avoid a “repeat” of their last visit.
Crisis communications expert Andy Barr added that Harry and Meghan will also have “beefed up” security for their safety. He told the Mirror:
“Meghan and Harry have a slick media machine behind them and they will be keen to repair any reputation damage that happened from their last visit. We can expect to see a real charm offensive. Unscheduled stops for community engagement and probably public praise for the City in general. They will want to avoid a repeat of the last visit so I would imagine their security will also be beefed up, albeit in a subtle and none intrusive way. There are few couples in the world that know as much as they do about winning over an audience and I expect this will be a masterclass in rebuilding bridges.”
Those words could be tempting fate and come back to haunt him …
Oh, jolly good!
It will give the tabloids something else to chew over and a bit more clickbait income - does this media income add to our GDP? I keep meaning to check up on what contribution they make to our country.
I wouldn’t worry about the words of PR “Expert” Andy Barr coming back to haunt him - for some years now, he’s been one of those “experts” that quite a few of our British tabloids turn to when they want to fill a few column inches - there seems to be a few of them who the tabloids call on to fill a bit of space - they spout whatever is in their mind at the time, without any particular evidence to back it up, then often say something completely different a few months later - but nobody seems to remember or notice their U-turns, so their words never seem to come back to haunt them!
Probably until after the marriage when it became apparent, to some, that Meghan was “up herself” …
Meghan Markle has been accused of “bigging herself up” by using her royal title during a message for children and parents in a viral video. The Duchess of Sussex continues to use the aristocratic title that was given to her when she married into the royal family, despite quitting the monarchy three years ago.
The clip of Meghan comes from a 2021 video in which she read her children’s book The Bench for Brightly Storytime, which creates resources for parents to encourage reading to children.
In the full video, Meghan said: "Hi and welcome to Brightly Storytime. I am Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and today I am going to read you my book called The Bench.
The duchess was criticized by some in the British press at the time, with the U.K. newspaper Daily Mirror running the headline: “Meghan Markle divides opinion after introducing herself with royal title to children.”
Royal titles have been a contentious issue not only among fans but also for the duke and duchess themselves.
Meghan told Oprah Winfrey in a TV interview in March 2021 “All the grandeur surrounding this stuff is an attachment that I don’t personally have, right? I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess (1), a duchess. I’ve always just still been Meghan, right? So, for me, I’m clear on who I am, independent of all that stuff. And the most important title I will ever have is Mom (2). I know that.”
(1) Megham Markle has never been a real princess. A princess is the daughter of a sovereign. Her official royal title through marriage would be Princess Henry. Similarly, duchess is the courtesy title for the wife of the Duke, her husband. Nevertheless, she persists in her claims …
(2) So faux I want to be sick … A recent rumour suggests that “Mom” is spending an increased amount of time at The Beverly Hills Hotel (100 miles from Montecito) as she continues to make a move towards a Hollywood “career”.
I would guess that they, too are courtesy titles for “the wife”:
Traditionally, male members of the royal family are granted at least one title on their wedding day by the monarch.
Prior to 2018, there had never been a noble title connected to Kilkeel (from Irish: Cill Chaoil, meaning ‘church of the narrow’), which lies within the historic barony of Mourne. The barony was newly created to allow Prince Harry to hold a Northern Irish title.
Following the death of his only son, the unmarried second Earl, the title became extinct on 7 January 1749.
On 16 July 2018, the title was recreated in the Peerage of the United Kingdom by Queen Elizabeth II as one of the two subsidiary titles for her grandson Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, on the occasion of his wedding, when he was also created Baron Kilkeel.
So, seemingly, Meghan has the courtesy titles associated with being the wife of an honorary peer.
“So, seemingly, Meghan has the courtesy titles associated with being the wife of an honorary peer.”
Correct - that doesn’t just apply to Meghan, though - that’s the “norm” in the Royal Family when a Prince marries.
Catherine, Sophie, Sarah, Diana and most other women who have married into the Royal Family have received Titles on their marriage - and they have all used them.
Previous “Royal Brides” who have stopped working for the Royal Family have to drop their HRH, just as Meghan has, but they have kept their main Title, just as Meghan has.
Both Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York kept their Titles after they stopped doing Royal Duties - even after divorce, they kept their Titles - and so would Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
I don’t think Meghan knew that - she probably thought that she’d be Princess Meghan when, in fact, she’s Princess Henry. AFAIK, in recent times only Princess Michael of Kent has adopted a formal princess title:
Private Eye (if it still exists) has a journalist known as “Phil Space”, he has a female counterpart know as “Polly Filler”, both good at filling the inches in true Fleet Street tradition.
I don’t know what you are basing your suppositions on but why does it matter what Meghan thought?
You seem to have a problem with Meghan saying she had been a princess but when Meghan said
“ I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a duchess. I’ve always just still been Meghan, …” she didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.
If you object to Meghan saying she’s been a Princess, maybe you object to Catherine claiming to be a Princess too?
Catherine’s occupation was recorded as “Princess of the United Kingdom” on all her kids’ birth certificates.
Meghan’s occupation was recorded as “Princess of the United Kingdom” on Archie’s U.K. birth certificate.
I doubt the use of a title is to impress the children - more likely to try to impress the adults who will buy the book for the children.
Maybe it is a bit naff to use your Title to try to increase book sales but she isn’t the first spouse or member of the Royal Family to do it.
I’ve noticed the front covers of Sarah’s books are all styled
Sarah Ferguson, “Duchess of York” , for both her children’s and adult books
Doesn’t Prince Charles use his Title on a children’s book too?
The Old Man of Lochinvar by HRH Prince of Wales - his Title was overlaid on the TV screen when he was filmed reading the story to children on Jackanory too.
The difference between the Royal wives, who no longer get paid for Royal duties, and Charles is that the women are probably doing it to make money, whereas Charles’ had a very generous and secure income, and he donated all profits from his book to his charitable trust - he doesn’t need the money.
There you are then - despite Meghan’s alleged lack of interest in titles:
“All the grandeur surrounding this stuff is an attachment that I don’t personally have, right? I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a duchess. I’ve always just still been Meghan, right? So, for me, I’m clear on who I am, independent of all that stuff. And the most important title I will ever have is Mom. I know that.”
she still uses the titles when it suits her and she is adamant about keeping Prince and Princess as titles for her children.
A recent rumour suggests that “Mom” is spending an increased amount of time at The Beverly Hills Hotel (100 miles from Montecito) as she continues to make a move towards a Hollywood “career”.