A source close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has claimed that the ex-royal duo has begun to realize that their falling popularity numbers do not bode well for the pair.
“Meghan is well aware that she and Harry are no longer the golden couple,” an insider claimed, per The Express .
The realization comes after the Sussexes have suffered from a number of PR blunders, including the release of pictures taken on Remembrance Sunday at the Los Angeles National Cemetery. Many saw the move as “exploitative” and accused the pair of staging a photo shoot at the cemetery after they released seven pictures taken by a Vogue photographer beloved by Kanye West.
As a result of the critique, Harry and Meghan’s approval ratings have sunk to new lows in the United Kingdom. As was previously covered by The Inquisitr , the duke currently has a popularity rating of just one percent, while the former Suits actress is sitting at a dismal negative 26. In addition, around 70 percent of Brits even want the ex-royal pair to lose their titles.
In contrast, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are riding high on public approval after embarking on a number of Zoom engagements during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“Prince William and Kate can do no wrong now as far as the UK is concerned, whereas she and Harry are seen as a self-interested couple who quit the Royal Family to pursue their own interests,” the source added.
The insider claimed that this realization has sparked the Sussexes to revamp their public image, and the two recently announced that they hired Silicon Valley stars Christine Weil Schirmer and Toya Holness to help with the process, per a tweet from PR Week .
Schirmer will take the position of head of communications for the Office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. She is the former head of communications at Pinterest. Meanwhile, Holness will serve as press secretary and previously led communications at the New York City Department of Education.
“Meghan hopes to turn things around and show people how committed to doing good she is, and for them to see a different, more positive side to her,” the source added.
“Whilst this isn’t crisis management as such, given her popularity ratings right now, it’s not far off,” the insider concluded.
The decision to improve their standing comes as the Sussexes plan the launch their own charitable foundation, Archewell, while providing content for streaming giant Netflix.
In addition to Schirmer and Holness, the duke and duchess also employ the services of Hollywood PR firm Sunshine Sachs.