Meghan Markle has been advised on how she might reclaim her reputation among the British public. Despite being labeled as “arrogant” and “dominating” by some royal sources, the Duchess of Sussex is encouraged to adopt a patient and disciplined approach to win back the hearts of Britons.
PR expert Ed Coram James, speaking with the Mirror, outlined the steps Meghan could take to rebuild her image. “This is because she simply hasn’t done anything of the scale or popularity as Harry’s work with Invictus or conservation,” he explained. “It truly takes something of that scale to rescue a reputation that’s taken a hit as big as theirs. But, she has gone quiet and been very disciplined about this. That’s the first step.”
Reflecting on her public relations missteps, Coram James noted, “She attacked the Royal Family. And, broadly speaking, Brits love the Royal Family. Unfortunately for Meghan, there is a heavy degree of own-goal to this. Her PR campaign against the royals misfired so badly that she came out of it appearing vindictive, spoiled, arrogant, and attention-seeking. And the people she tried to portray as villains came out of it looking measured, mature, and, frankly, Kingly.”
Coram James highlighted the difficulty of changing a negative public perception, stating, “When you already have a negative image of someone, and you hear one person saying that that person is lovely, and another saying that she’s terrible, you’re naturally inclined to gravitate towards believing the person that says that they’re terrible. We love a good echo chamber, and we’re not too keen on taking on board new information and using that to help us challenge our deeply ingrained and conditioned beliefs.”
To turn things around, he suggests Meghan must remain patient and focused. “Her way to recover from this is the same way to redeem the reputation of her brand. Be quiet. Be patient. Be disciplined. Produce excellent work. Promote excellent charities. And no more attack pieces or PR misfires. If she does this, and for long enough, people will be able to start taking another look. And likely, in doing so, decide that they’ve got her wrong. Or, at the very least, that she deserves another chance,” Coram James advised.
According to the PR expert, Meghan’s road to redemption lies in her ability to create meaningful impact through charitable efforts while staying out of controversy. If she stays committed to this path, he believes public perception could shift, offering her an opportunity to rebuild her image and influence.