Prince Harry and Meghan Markle slammed for ‘very common mistake’ | Royal | News
Betrayal: Power, Deception and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, part of which was serialized by The Times magazine, contains a series of accusations against the Sussexes, their relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Invictus Games. Harry and Meghan’s statement, released last weekend, said: “Mr Bower’s comments have long crossed the line of criticism into obsession. This is a language that speaks for itself, a person who has publicly stated that ‘the monarchy is actually committed to eradicating the Sussexes from our living situation.’
“He’s made a career out of building increasingly elaborate theories about people he doesn’t know and has never met. Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those looking for deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him.”
Now a PR expert has said the long, “emotional” statement was a “very common mistake” and claimed the couple should have either kept quiet or issued a very short statement instead.
Renae Smith, founder and manager atticismHe told the Daily Express: “This is one of the most common mistakes I see in reputation crises.
“Clients want to deal with every accusation, tear the writer to shreds, and defend themselves, one by one, but by doing so they often endow the critique with greater vigor and, oddly enough, greater credibility.
“The very act of attracting attention can make the viewer feel like there is content there.”
He added that the Sussex statement showed Bower was “unnerved” but explained: “Not because each allegation is word for word true, but because it is clearly close enough to the public narrative around them.”
Ms Smith said she would advise the couple to “either say nothing or publish a very brief line refusing to comment”.
He concluded: “I don’t think the statement did them any good. I think it strengthened the book, reinforced the sense that they were weak, and added fuel to a narrative that was already damaging enough in itself.”
