The DrumRacism, mental health, family strife, echoes of the untimely passing of Princess Diana… these themes have reverberated loudly since Oprah Winfrey’s bombshell interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. But what have the revelations done to reputations?Following the sparse reactionary statement from the royal family and the abrupt departure of Piers Morgan, The Drum asks PR professionals and a pre-eminent royal family expert to define what impact the interview has had on the key players.Interestingly, perceptions vary in the US and in the UK. However, experts on both sides of the pond agree that the royal family came away…

ReutersPrince Harry and Meghan’s TV interview in which they talked of racism, neglect and feuding inside the royal family is the biggest challenge to the British monarchy this century, but supporters say it will survive, at least while Elizabeth is queen.Meghan and Harry’s accusations underscore just how hard the taxpayer-funded institution, which traces its roots through 1,000 years of British and English history, has found it to adapt to a meritocratic world and intense media scrutiny.The monarchy, headed by Queen Elizabeth, will try to ride out the turmoil and then quietly reform – as it did in the abdication crisis…

The Daily Beast The last time that the impending demise of the British monarchy was proclaimed with real conviction, it was outside the flower-strewn gates of Kensington Palace, as a shell-shocked nation absorbed the tragic death of Princess Diana.Such was the global and national anger at the monarchy in the strange weeks before and after Diana’s funeral, that it really did seem possible the whole edifice of gilt and gold might topple to the ground and be revealed as nothing more than a moth-eaten music hall set.Ironically, it was Queen Elizabeth, the figurehead of the institution of monarchy that was being…

The TelegraphIf the Sussexes play their cards right, PR and branding experts tell us, their foundation can flourish and make them celebrity ‘influencers’.After Oprah, the deluge. The world has finally heard Meghan and Harry’s side of the story, but having told it, what next? How will they live the rest of their lives? Will they be enjoying the quiet life in Santa Monica raising their two children, secure more blockbuster deals with the streamers, or develop their own Royal reality show like Prince Edward? We surveyed brand, celebrity and PR consultants on both sides of the Pond about what the…

The iThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey could trigger “the start of a PR war”, public relations experts have warned. But it’s a battle Buckingham Palace is ill-equipped to win.Accusations of racism and a lack of care over the Duchesses’ mental health struggles, sure to resonate with the couple’s target audience of young, liberal, progressive Americans, are toxic for the monarchy.Meghan and Harry painted the institution as archaic and hostile to newcomers who look different and propose modern ways of using the royals’ “soft power.”“The Palace is in a very difficult position,” said PR consultant…

The GuardianIt may be an American coronation of sorts.When Oprah Winfrey’s highly anticipated and potentially explosive interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex airs in its primetime spot on Sunday evening, millions across the US are expected to watch. It will be the couple’s first interview since since stepping back from their royal duties in early 2020, but it could also mark the moment that the Sussexes evolve from British royalty to Hollywood elite.“Having a big interview with these royals, or ex-royals, and having it done by Oprah Winfrey, begs the question – as it always does – who…

Daily MailMeghan Markle and Prince Harry will discuss the issue of race in Britain with Oprah Winfrey, it was revealed today.The Duchess of Sussex will also open up about her self-esteem while living in the UK after her husband claimed the pressure of being in London was ‘destroying’ his mental health so they needed to emigrate to the US and quit as frontline royals.Meghan, whose mother Doria is African-American and father Thomas is white, became the first mixed race member of the Royal Family after walking down the aisle with Harry at Windsor in May 2018.ITV’s Royal Editor Chris Ship has…

Royal fans vow to boycott ITV’s Oprah interview with Harry and Meghan over its ‘horrendous timing’ with Prince Philip’s hospital battle – as channel is blasted over ‘paying £1MILLION’ to air ‘toxic’ two-hour chatPrince Harry and his pregnant wife Meghan Markle joined Oprah for CBS interview airing on CBS on March 7 ITV1 will show Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A Primetime Special at 8pm UK time on Monday March 8 Show extended from 90 minutes to 2 hours – allowing broadcasters to rake in £140,000 per 30 second adSome ITV viewers have already vowed to boycott the show while…

The SunROYAL OPRAH How chat show queen Oprah Winfrey has built an empire Meghan Markle would loveIN her exclusive Californian enclave of Montecito she is treated like royalty as she spreads her philanthropy around the world, making a fortune in the process.No, not Meghan, but chat show queen Oprah Winfrey.Last week she travelled on her £50million private jet to interview Meghan, alongside Prince Harry. And the chat, due to be screened next Sunday, is one that will send shockwaves through the Royal Family as the duo air their grievances.Mainly known in the UK for her talk show, Oprah, 67, was…

The ExpressMEGHAN MARKLE and Prince Harry’s Oprah interview won’t “be as big” as Princess Diana’s Panorama interview or Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interrogation, but “many millions” will be made by TV companies on both sides of the Atlantic, says broadcaster Andrew Neil.Their CBS interview with the Hollywood chat show queen will be shown next Sunday but it will not have as much impact as Harry’s mother’s sensational broadcast in 1995 or his uncle’s grilling in 2019, said Mr Neil. His comments come as a royal author urged the Duke of Sussex to rebuild bridges with his family in Britain…before it is…

Management TodayThis crisis has needed politicians to be bloody tough. You’ve got to deliver the facts and make people believe that we’re on a course and that “this is how it is going to be” and not flinch from that, which takes determination and direction.We’ve seen a communication strategy with too much flip-flopping, too much leaking of information and a message that has been lacking in emotional intelligence. They’ve tried to bang ideas into soundbites that channel well through social media but this is too complex a situation for soundbites. There’s been a lack of real purpose and also too much…

The MirrorEXCLUSIVE: The Queen has given the go-ahead for seven senior royals to take up public engagements as soon as possible after Harry and Meghan Markle were stripped of their titlesThe Queen has vowed a “new beginning” for the royals after Harry and Meghan chose mega-money deals over duty.As their divorce from The Firm was finalised this week, Her Majesty, 94, gave the go-ahead for the seven senior royals to take up public engagements as soon as possible.Dubbed the “Magnificent Seven” by Palace officials, it is hoped Prince Charles and wife Camilla, Prince William and Kate, Princess Anne and Prince…

The SunMORE celebrities than you can shake a lipstick at are cashing in on their famous faces by launching their own beauty brands.But we revealed yesterday how Victoria Beckham’s skincare and make-up line had LOST £4.7million – and she is not the only big name whose cosmetics side hustle has lost its lustre.Brand expert Mark ­Borkowski warns celebs: “Fans are buying into the idea they could also look like you. But it’s difficult to sustain. No sooner are you the story of the moment than you are yesterday’s news.”Here, we give you the top ten most lucrative celebrity beauty brands,…

MashedWhen Nadiya Hussain won The Great British Bake Off, in the words of the Radio Times, “She became a household name when she reduced Mary Berry – and millions of viewers – to tears.” The crux of her speech, to which you can listen on YouTube, was that no longer would she set boundaries around what she could accomplish.This reflected a new attitude towards her mental health issues which she opened about further as she appeared more and more in interviews. “Suffering with mental health and suffering racism is quite isolating,” she explained to the Radio Times, “and to be…

Evening Standard Having elevated Marcus Rashford to national treasure status in just 12 short — okay, long — months, Jay-Z’s management company is looking to repeat the trick with more superstar activists. Susannah Butter peeks inside a personal branding powerhouse that’s changing the off-the-pitch role of sporting heroes as we know it A new chapter, let’s go,’ rugby player Maro Itoje wrote on his Instagram page. The England star was announcing that he had just signed to Roc Nation, American rapper Jay-Z’s management company, in November. Talented, eloquent and politically engaged, the 26-year-old Itoje is a perfect fit; Jay-Z’s juggernaut…

The Sun PRINCE Philip is ‘completely baffled’ by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s desperation to quit the royal family, his biographer claims. Speaking to the royal podcast, Pod Save the Queen, Ingrid Seward said: “Philip welcomed Meghan at the beginning. He was an outsider, he knows what he feels like. “He feels he’s had a part to play, he can do something useful and help her, but whether he ever managed to do something I don’t know. “I think he is completely baffled by Harry and Meghan’s desperation to leave the royal family. I think he feels they had so…

Herald Sun His TV wedding to Kylie Minogue stopped the nation, but Jason Donovan’s real life love brought him back from the edge. The former Neighbours heart throb, 52, is dominating British TV, appearing as a contestant on the wildly popular Dancing On Ice this month. He celebrated 20 years with his wife Angela Malloch, who pulled him out of a dark place. “Happy anniversary Ange … Couldn’t do it without you,” Donovan posted in a heartfelt message this week. “Quite simply you are the most unselfish, committed, down to Earth loyal partner, mother and friend I could ever wish…

Evening StandardIt is an image which makes it abundantly clear that America is moving on from Trump.The Queen of counter-cultural pop Lady Gaga stood at the inauguration belting out the Star-Spangled Banner in a blush pink skirt by so puffy that she could hardly walk in it, to celebrate her friend Joe Biden becoming President. If President-deselect Donald Trump was still on Twitter you can only imagine how incandescent his tweets would be — he would be spitting with envy at the line-up of popstars that Joe Biden commanded, especially given that everyone from Neil Young to Adele refused to…

Mail OnlineAnnounced they were quitting as senior members of Royal Family on January 8.Departure has caused heartache for the Queen, Prince Charles and Harry’s pals.Media mogul Oprah Winfrey, author Omid Scobie and Joe Biden have benefitted.It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their bombshell announcement that they were quitting the Royal Family.Posting on their now defunct Sussex Royal Instagram page, the couple revealed their plans to ‘step back as senior members’ of the Firm and work to become ‘financially independent’ while splitting their time between the UK and the US.It sent shockwaves…