Meghan Markle has taken a fresh approach to alter her public image on the Sussex's royal tour. Photo / Getty Images
Meghan Markle has taken a fresh approach to alter her public image on the Sussex's royal tour. Photo / Getty Images
The royal couple has faced an avalanche of negative publicity over the past few months and Meghan Markle is using her and Prince Harry's South Africa tour as a chance to shift opinion.
New York Post's Page Six reports that the tour has been "tactically planned," with help from herfriends such as Keleigh Thomas Morgan and at Sunshine Sachs Consultants, an LA agency renowned for celebrity crisis management.
In an attempt to repair her public image during the tour, the Duchess of Sussex has been photographed sitting on the floor amongst other mothers and embracing poverty-stricken kids.
She has also been rewearing her designer outfits and has removed her $222,000 engagement ring.
On Markle's first royal of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga last year, she wore expensive clothing items by Stella McCartney and Oscar de la Renta.
Contrastingly, this time she wore a Madewell denim jacket which is roughly $160 and has been rewearing dresses she'd been seen in before by Veronica Beard and Martin Grant.
She has also made an environmental statement by wearing brands that preach sustainability.
"Meghan knew she needed help, [so] she reached out to a very few trusted people, including Keleigh," an insider shared with The Post. "She has a few girlfriends in the UK who are extremely well-versed in British media."
However, Sunshine Sachs said to The Post that they were only helping the couple with their charitable Sussex Foundation.
A royal expert also speculated that baby Archie would play a big part in the tour to assist the royal couple "turn the tide of bad publicity", which has turned out to be accurate.
During the tour Harry and Meghan allowed Archie to be candidly photographed for the first time.
Before this, only a few formal photos had been released, so consequently they had been scrutinised for "hiding" him.
Last month, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were accused of hypocrisy for taking four gas-guzzling private jet flights in just 11 days, while encouraging others to do their bit for the environment.
The couple also suffered intense criticism for their decision to keep their son Archie's christening private after receiving a taxpayer-funded renovation to their Frogmore cottage home.
