Meghan Markle looking for British PR guru, planning UK ‘relaunch’

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House in London, England. Photo / Samir Hussein, WireImage

Meghan Markle is allegedly on the hunt for a British PR guru to improve her reputation in the UK and gain more positive exposure for her charitable organisation Archewell, which she founded with her husband Prince Harry in California, according to The Daily Mail.

Nabbing a renowned PR pro will also be beneficial if the rumours are true and the duchess is hoping to revive her lifestyle blog The Tig, especially considering her A-lister friend Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop made US$250 million ($405m) over the Christmas period.

The former actress’s mission to find a British public relations executive is yet another sign that the Sussexes are hoping to relaunch their brand in 2024, and it seems the pair hope to do that in Prince Harry’s home country.

However, the odds might not be in Harry and Meghan’s favour, as one London PR executive told The Daily Mail: “This is a s*** sandwich that many senior PR people will not be willing to eat. Many will turn it down. Representing the couple in the UK is a tantalising thought but they don’t have a reputation for listening to advice. What would be the point?”

Just over a year ago, the Duke of Sussex’s autobiography Spare hit shelves and became a bestseller across the globe. However, his personal attacks on his relatives and his airing of the royal family’s dirty laundry seemed to result in a dip in Harry and Meghan’s popularity, both in the UK and in the US.

What’s more, the pair’s Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan garnered bad reviews, their Spotify deal was axed and they were ridiculed on South Park and Family Guy in skits that were watched by millions worldwide.

News of the Sussexes’ plans to relaunch comes as Harry is set to return to London to celebrate 10 years of the Invictus Games in a service at St Paul’s Cathedral. Yesterday, the British government used its Budget to launch a £26m ($54m) bid to host the sports event in Birmingham in 2027.

A close source told The Daily Mail that Harry and Meghan have picked up on an opportunity to return to the UK, seeing as though King Charles’ health is deteriorating, his slimmed-down monarchy is on the back foot and William is taking a step back to support his wife Kate Middleton following her abdominal surgery.

However, the insider revealed that PR pros may be wary of taking on the Sussexes as clients as they can’t guarantee that the royal couple will listen to their advice, especially considering their moves post-Megxit.

“The royal family is looking short-staffed and quite elderly”, the insider shared, adding: “The Sussexes have a popularity problem and can see there is an opportunity to step in to fill a vacuum over here with their own work. There is also growing noise stateside that Harry would like to carry out duties on behalf of his father again.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Photo / Getty Images

“American stars also often expect their PRs to spend their time shouting at people — that’s not going to appeal either in the UK where things are done rather differently.”

This comes just a few weeks after the Duchess of Sussex opened a new wing of a British-based animal charity.

Meghan recorded a personal filmed message as a tribute to her “dear friend” Oli Juste, who introduced her to the Mayhew Trust and London animal home.

Brand and culture expert Nick Ede told The Daily Mail that Meghan’s sudden online presence in the UK says a lot about her future plans.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave after a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Photo / AP

“I think that the UK is still a very important place for Meghan to have a presence and to have strong positive PR,” he said. “She genuinely likes the UK and British people.

“I would think that to bring a positive spin on her good work and her philanthropic side is very important to her — even recently with the work she does with the Mayhew she has shown her commitment to the causes she cares about.”

He went on: “If she is going to start to promote lifestyle brands in the UK, Meghan knows that the consumer audience although smaller than North America are very style savvy and they love her looks and fashion sensibility.”