In the wake of Prince Harry’s controversial choices and public revelations that have tarnished his once esteemed image, the need for a strategic brand overhaul has become apparent. As he embarks on a new chapter in California alongside his wife, Meghan Markle, and her talent agency, the couple may seek PR guidance to rebuild Harry’s damaged reputation. Seasoned journalist, Dale Granger presents a 10-point PR plan aimed at regaining the respect of the people, peers, and the press. From managing media relationships to reframing narratives, each point offers insights and recommendations for Harry’s path to redemption. It’s a journey that requires introspection, resilience, and a willingness to redefine his role in the public eye.
Ten Point Plan to Salvage Prince Harry
By Dale Granger
Now that Prince Harry has again foolishly opted to tarnish his once, royally revered image as a once noble warrior and knight of the highest order, hopefully his wifeâs new talent agency in California will give him some PR pointers on how to rebuild a wrecked brand that now sees him cast in the role of weak, entitled, delusional and bitter.
If Meghan Markle is charitable enough to send her husband for a session or two with MGM execs on how to rebrand HRH, they might be able to repair the remnants of a royal who once commanded the respect of subjects who were quite fond of their eccentric young prince and always willing to forgive his errant ways. He wasnât the most popular royal for nothing.
Failing that, hereâs a (free) 10-point PR plan for Harry to win back the respect of the people, peers and the press. Alternately, hopefully a Montecito neighbour will buy him a copy of Dale Carnegieâs How to Win Friends and Influence People for his next birthday.
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- Stop feeding the crocodile
Harryâs contempt for a âvile and unscrupulousâ press — in particular anything tabloid — is well versed. Nevertheless, itâs hard to find any sympathy for his crusade when heâs trashed virtually his entire family, or at least the ones that really matter, for the same tainted lucre coveted by the tabloids with a volley of vitriolic revelations including that of his battered and bruised âtodgerâ, shagging society girls and spankings in horsey paddocks and smoking weed at Eton. Itâs not wise to be frivolous about snorting coke and other illicit indulgences when there are many who have lost loved ones to substance abuse and addiction. The issue of being a role model/influencer is serious in modern society and HRH wouldnât want to be accused of encouraging teenagers to experiment with lethal substances on the basis that: âitâs OK, even (some) royals do itâ.
- Batten down the hatches
Ever since Harry rocked the House of Windsor to its aristocratic foundations with few spared in his salacious, best-selling biography, barely a week has gone by without him and his better half throwing more juicy titbits to the tabloid tiger that have whipped up a feeding frenzy of trolling on cue and online – peaking with the hyped hysteria of that âtwo-hourâ car chase through gridlocked Manhattan, two high-class bolt hole retreats in California, more gossipmongering about Harry and Megâs âsinkingâ marriage and celebrity sources downgrading the couple to the D-List on the Beverley Hills party pecking order. And that was before HRH inspired more juicy headlines with voluntary revelations of strip club shenanigans with army pals, crude nicknames at school, narcotic indulgences as a troubled teen and a selective memory in the High Court. Stop throwing fuel on the fire Harry. Itâs time for you, Meg and the kids to hit the reiki retreat trail to recharge those exhausted batteries and rejuvenate your marriage. After two or three months the storm will blow over and youâll have a chance to start afresh, energised with new ideas and inspiration.
- Tell a white lie in court — but only if you absolutely have to
Was it really necessary to mention your old squeeze, Chelsy Davy, 118 times and Meg only five times in the High Court? Over eight hours of cross examination that means you spoke about your ex, on average, 14 times every hour. You could be in for the hurricane treatment back in Montecito that would make Andrew Green feel like a cool breeze. Unfair? Yes! But you know all about creating impressions, having silently tolerated Megâs allegations that an unnamed senior royal was racist talking about Archieâs pigmentation prospects pre-birth – later downgraded to âunconscious biasâ. Nothing sparks the âhell hath no furyâ inferno more than the suggestion youâre still hung up over an old flame, letâs call it âconscious biasâ, implying that you might be having second thoughts about the current one that, letâs face it, did not come highly recommended by some of your family and friends. Youâve stepped straight out of the court into the cauldron on this one Harry with the tabloids latching onto the story faster than piranhas to a bloodied calf. Your misinterpretation of the âHooray Harry Gets Dumpedâ headline only rekindled the cruel âthickoâ label from your so-called school pals, with the term actually referring to the trashy toffs you used to hang out with.
- Donât mention the war!
If thereâs anything that must have had your old regimentâs blood boiling it was the frivolous revelation in Spare that you killed 22 Taliban fighters. Much like omerta in the Mafia, the unwritten law of combat soldiers is to keep schtum about the battlefield. You can almost hear them cursing âWTFâ after you demanded police VIP protection in the UK, having potentially put a target on your back, possibly that of your family and your comrades with dismissive references to removing chess pieces from the board in Afghanistan.
- Turn away from the spotlight
This oneâs for your wife. If you want privacy from the pursuing paparazzi, donât temp them by being driven through London with your seat window wide open. And next time you are in the Big Apple, chose a vehicle with tinted windows that can deflect even the best flashbulbs. The pic that was snapped of Meghan Sparkle smiling alongside an angry looking Harry and anxious mother-in-law during what was meant to be a terrifying ordeal created the impression that Meg was enjoying the thrill of it all. And next time you do leave New Yorkâs not so glitzy Ziegfeld Ballroom, make sure Hertz pays you a royalty for the tacky sign snapped by those pesky paparazzi just above your heads on the red carpet that went all over the world.
- Stop grovelling in victimhood
If you heed only one recommendation of the 10 Point Plan, this is it. Having grown up in the luxury of palaces surrounded by an army of aides and servants, you are never going to win the sympathy vote of commoners accustomed to monthly mortgages, cleaning their own âlavatoriesâ (preferred aristocratic term to âtoiletâ) and the occasional night out at Nandos. Youâre not going to engender any empathy from the great unwashed who have to enter a lottery to pay for a ticket to the cheap seats at Wimbledon when youâve always had access to the best box in the house and flown first class, or Gulfstream (for free). Your troubles are trivial to the tribulations of those battling to make ends meet, compacted into cattle class and squeezing every penny out of the jar to give their kids the best chance in life. Life isnât easy Harry, but whining on about palace servants and nannies (not to mention family) is just not going to cut it in a world heaving under the burden of chaos and confusion synonymous with the tediousness of the daily grind.
- Do something useful for society
We doff our hats to you for your continued involvement and passion for the Invictus Games, but itâs the rest of your year that weâre worried about Harry. Smoking spliffs during those balmy evenings on the balcony in Montecito and a manic pursuit of litigation is creating the impression that you are bored. Reports indicate that you were a very good pilot in the RAF, so why not put that talent to good use by starting a shuttle service in the air for the well-heeled flying from Montecito to LAX? Youâll probably command a princely fee from your passengers and can earn bonus tips for signed signatures and selfies. Alternately, you can always teach the less privileged to play polo.
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- Get a real job
Nothing wins the respect of the rank and file more than an aristocrat prepared to roll up his sleeves and get down and dirty in the trenches of life. That doesnât mean going back to the military Harry, but have you ever thought of doing something really eccentric and unconventional? How about offering your services at A-listed parties as a butler. Itâll not only give you a newfound sympathy for Paul Burrell, but itâll get you onto the invite list for the biggest and best parties in Tinseltown. Iâll bet thereâs a fair few Texan billionaires willing to spend a pretty penny, or pound, for having a real-life prince serving canapes to his best buddies before breaking out the Budweisers. Youâll also get to rub shoulders with the type of tycoons who can send the charities you endorse into orbit. Youâre in Clinton-Obama territory here and could command six-figure appearance fees reserved for ex White House, lords of the manor. Considering youâre not very good at public speaking, this is a win-win alternative for all â more so if you manage to get Meg into a waitress outfit. Youâll earn the appreciation of those whoâve been at your beck and call all your life and a newfound admiration from the masses who do these menial tasks every day. âHe may be a prince, but heâs one of usâ, you can almost hear them chorusing.
- Read and absorb the meaning of a classic fairy tale
Most of us grew up reading fairy tales of brave and noble princes riding into battle to save a beautiful, albeit distressed damsel who subsequently becomes the coveted princess who lived happily ever after with her charming and handsome suitor. If you were deprived of these indulgences Harry, Cinderella would be a good place to start. At least read it to your kids, who also carry the sort of titles that come with a responsibility, if only to sustain the aspirational illusion of it all. Princes are meant to have a certain mystique synonymous with the dreams of millions who watched âWhen Harry met Meghan (and Married)â live on television. There are not many little girls around who donât have princess fantasies and hanging up the dirty laundry, especially those of the family for all to see and smell only bursts the bubble. The boys, girls and transgenders wonât be playing Knights of the Templar for much longer if you keep reminding everyone that youâre just an ordinary, albeit troubled, feller. If so, you might have considered farming in Iowa, out of the limelight where you and Meg can have all the privacy you ostensibly wanted.
- Donât sweat the small stuff â be happy.
Contrary to what you and Meg might perceive, the abusers and online trolls who seem to cause you so much distress are in reality only a minority and can broadly be categorised as bored or troubled misfits burdened with personality disorders. Most of the rest, the silent majority, are too busy navigating the storms of their own lives and loved ones to give your and Megâs soap opera a sideways glance. If youâre going to blaze a trail in the thorny terrain of public scrutiny you had better develop a thick skin and fast. It goes with the territory, but true happiness comes when you donât give a shit what people, especially those who donât even know you, might think. Peace starts with being grateful for what you do have and appreciating the things that are free for all in this world. From there you might want to evolve to the higher caste of just being happy in your own skin. Stop fighting a war on every front. At least take the advice of Brad Pitt who said had he sued every magazine who ran trashy stories on his life, he wouldnât have had time for anything else. Most believe you only have one life, so make the most of it. Humility is a well-travelled and rewarding currency Harry and you might be pleasantly surprised to discover that the majority have little prejudice and are happy for you too. If youâre going to smoke anything, make it a peace pipe and discover true tranquillity, brother.
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