MEGHAN Markle should plan a trip to the UK and consider reconciling with her estranged father Thomas if she wants to save her reputation, says one PR expert.
Since marrying Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan, 42, has gone from being one of the most well-liked women in the world to now sitting 17th in a royal popularity poll behind Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy.
And despite trying to improve public perception with her Archetypes podcast, a Netflix documentary with Harry and the launch of her own lifestyle brand, Meghan has seemingly failed to impress the masses.
Even former Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Tina Brown recently slammed Meghan saying she “has the worst judgement of anyone in the entire world” and is “flawless about getting it all wrong. She really is.”
Speaking on The Ankler podcast, Tina added: “Her issue is that she doesn’t listen. She has all these people, asks them their opinion, and then doesn’t follow it. She does what she wants to do. And all of her ideas are total crap, unfortunately.”
However, brand and PR expert Denise Palmer-Davies, managing director of Borne Media, says Meghan could turn her fortunes around in 2025 if she plays things right, and could win over the public – and her sister in law!
Here we take a look at Denise’s ‘must-dos’ for Meghan in the coming year…
Visit the UK
According to Denise, at the top of Meghan’s New Year’s resolution list should be a visit to the UK.
Meghan hasn’t visited her husband’s native country since the late Queen’s funeral in 2022, and according to Harry she will not return until their royal police protection is reinstated.
They were stripped of security paid for by the taxpayer when they stepped back as working royals in 2020, meaning Meghan and Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, have remained in Montecito, California.
Harry said: “It’s still dangerous, and all it takes is one lone actor… whether it’s a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.”
But Denise said the family should reconsider. “Obviously Harry is very frightened for his family, but if Meghan is going to make any progress with the British public she will need to return to these shores,” the PR expert says.
“All the time she is holed up in Montecito, the public in the UK are taking it as a snub, feeling like our country isn’t good enough for her. A visit here – of course with suitable, water tight security – could really turn things around for her.”
Reunite the children with the King
King Charles is said to miss Archie and Lilibet[/caption]
According to palace insiders, the King is a “fantastic and enthusiastic grandpa” to Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, but he misses Archie and Lilibet dearly.
He is apparently “keener than ever” to see Harry’s children and “make up for lost time” in the years they have been in America.
“If Meghan came to the UK with the children so they could see their grandpa, that would be the icing on the cake,” Denise says.
All the time she is holed up in Montecito, the public in the UK are taking it as a snub, feeling like our country isn’t good enough for her
Denise Palmer-Davies,
“The King has had an extremely difficult year following his cancer diagnosis, so for him to have all five of his grandchildren under one roof, well I’m sure it would feel like all of his Christmases have come at once. It would also go a long way for Kate too – I’m sure her children are always asking when they will see their little cousins, so it would be a lovely gesture for Kate too.
“She has also had a very difficult year with her own cancer diagnosis and no doubt knows now more than ever how precious life is. It could be a wonderful olive branch from Meghan.”
Reconcile with her father
“One of the things that set the public against Meghan was her treatment of her father, Thomas,” Denise says. “It felt like she cut him off very quickly, and in the eyes of the public, she had very little sympathy or support for him when he became ill.
“What he did wasn’t great – he set up pictures with the press which is a big no-no – but he didn’t commit an awful crime, or certainly nothing that deserves being disowned by his daughter and banned from seeing his grandchildren.
“A reconciliation with her father could elevate her in public opinion, show the world she isn’t bitter or holds a grudge and that she can forgive and move on.
“Family feuds are common, but life is too short, and she should make up with him before it’s too late.”
Meghan Markle on how dad Thomas Markle ‘betrayed’ her
IN her candid interview with Oprah, the Duchess of Sussex opened up about her relationship with her dad and said she was left feeling crushed when he lied to her before the wedding.
Meghan said she tried to “protect” her parents from the “media frenzy” sparked due to an “obsession about anything in my world”.
It was the first time Meghan has publicly discussed her dad, who she has not spoken to since before her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.
Thomas, an ex-Hollywood lighting director, has spoken about her daughter’s relationship publicly and described their decision to walk away from the royals as embarrassing.
Their relationship soured in the run-up to their 2018 Windsor Castle wedding, when he admitted agreeing to stage pictures of himself.
Meghan was asked if it felt like a “betrayal” when she found out her dad was working with the Press, and replied: “I’m trying to decide if I’m comfortable even talking about that.
“It was… if we were going to use the word betrayal.”
Meghan added: “Because when I asked him, when we were told by the comms team, this is a story that was going to be coming out, which, by the way, the tabloids had apparently known for a month or so and decided to hold until the Sunday before our wedding because they wanted to create drama, which is also a really key point in all this.
“We called my dad and I asked him and he said, no, absolutely not.”
Oprah then said: “He said no, absolutely not. He hadn’t been talking to them. So he basically lied to you.”
The full transcript of the interview can be read here.
Be by Harry’s side
Following their big move to the States in the summer of 2020, Harry and Meghan teamed up together on a number of work projects and were regularly seen side by side at charity and showbiz events.
But in recent months, the pair have been “leading separate lives” with Harry attending 10 engagements in 12 days without Meghan in September.
“When Harry moved from the UK to America we all accepted he was doing this for his family,” Denise said.
“But now we are seeing Harry increasingly attend events on his own, and the public don’t like that. What they want is to see Meghan by his side, supporting him and showing the world that it was all worth it and he is happy in his new life.
“Meghan absolutely needs to be more publicly supportive of her husband’s projects and ventures just like Kate is to William. It would certainly go a long way in regaining the public’s approval.”
The Sussexes should unite for some good causes[/caption]
More charity work
This year has seen Meghan put her energy into more personal work projects including the official launch of her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard.
And while she is still doing some charitable work – she attended the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital Gala in October and hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for Afghan Refugee Women for example – Denise said putting charity before personal projects “allows the public to remember her caring side.”
“Meghan and Harry set up the Archewell Foundation and there is no denying they both do a lot for charity,” Denise says.
Meghan attended a dinner for Afghan Refugee Women[/caption]
“But it’s almost like the public have forgotten that side of Meghan, and it’s that kind-hearted side that Harry first fell in love with.
“While I’m sure there is lots she does behind the scenes, it wouldn’t do her any harm from a PR point of view to make her efforts public, and allow people to see she isn’t the selfish wicked witch who took a prince from his British castle, but a warm and nurturing who puts others first.”
