Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are facing fresh scrutiny, not just over the claims in a forthcoming royal book, but over how they chose to respond to them. After excerpts from Tom Bower’s latest book began circulating, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued a sharp statement dismissing the allegations. But a communications expert now suggests the tone and length of that response may have worked against them.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry criticized by expert for statement against Tom Bower’s book
Following the release of excerpts in The Times Magazine, a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan issued a statement rejecting the claims.“Mr. Bower’s commentary has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation. This is someone who has publicly stated, ‘the monarchy in fact depends on actually obliterating the Sussexes from our state of life,’ language that speaks for itself.”
However, Renae Smith, a public relations expert and founder of Atticism, believes the approach may have inadvertently shifted the narrative. Speaking to the Daily Express, Smith argued that the level of detail in the Sussexes’ statement made it appear as though the couple were more affected by the claims than intended. “I think the detail of the statement is part of the problem,” she said, adding, “If something is genuinely ridiculous and completely fabricated, the strongest response is often either no response at all or a very short and dismissive one.”
Ms. Smith said the Montecito couple could have handled it better with a short statement, such as: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are declining to comment on something so absurd.” She added that instead, they gave too many details, which made them look “deeply bothered.” She said that by doing this, they shifted the focus away from the book and onto why it upset them so much. In her view, the extended rebuttal redirected attention toward why the claims provoked such a strong response.
