Fergie avoids talking about Prince Harry in interview
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might be losing invites to swanky Hollywood events as organisers fear being “dragged” into the royal drama, one celebrity PR expert told Express.co.uk. Jordan James, CEO of UnlockdPR said: “While some events might relish the publicity of having the couple attend, not every high-profile event may relish the possible controversy they may bring.”
The PR expert continued: “Some organisers may feel reluctant to extend an invite as they feel like they would be dragged into their ongoing drama if the couple were present, and, given the rampant speculation about their relationship with the Royal Family, people might view them as too risky for such an event.”
According to James, this could be especially true for those events or organisations that might have a link to or want to create a relationship with the Royal Family in the future.
The optics of siding with the Sussexes over the royals could jeopardise future branding opportunities, he said.
James’s comments come after Meghan and Harry were nowhere to be seen at the 95th Academy Awards show on Sunday night.
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While it’s unclear why the Sussexes were not present at the Oscars, having the Sussexes attend could have unintentionally “overshadowed” the event, the PR expert said.
“Having the Sussexes attend could have overshadowed the delight of icons like Brendan Fraser, Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan mopping up at this year’s event, with eyes on the couple as opposed to the joy of the night, which saw huge steps forward in terms of inclusivity and diversity in Hollywood,” James suggested.
The Oscars is the latest in a string of celebrity events that the couple haven’t attended.
Harry and Meghan did not go to Oprah’s 69th party back in January, which fuelled speculation that Hollywood was falling out of love with the couple.
Oprah’s star-studded party included the likes of Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Sharon Stone.
This followed the so-called Bafta Tea Party “snub” in January, where sources claimed the couple were “not welcome” at a glitzy BAFTA Tea Party because it would be a “PR disaster”.
However, a spokesman for BAFTA said at the time that the Sussexes’ attendance “was not discussed whatsoever”, adding: “The BAFTA Tea Party in LA is for those involved in this year’s film awards season, so film awards contenders and nominees.”
“Of course, the couple drawing back from these events could be of their own accord and may be signs they are trying to regain some control of their image, especially in light of recent criticism that they are trying to court the media while also criticising it,” notes James.
He continued: “These recent no-shows also come soon after the now infamous South Park episode that seemed to parody their very public relationship with the media, so could be a form of response, highlighting that they are, in fact, not looking to live under a microscope.”
It’s also telling that the couple are turning their attention to smaller talk shows over these large events, the PR expert said.
“This could show this change in pace, and how their appetite for PR is changing to something smaller-scale, and far less likely to blow up in their face,” James said.
Recent polling on the Sussexes might be giving them pause for thought.
Since December last year, Harry has sunk 48 points and Meghan 40 points in a poll of 2,000 eligible US voters.
The research, conducted by Redfield & Wilton on 19 February, showed that Harry was disliked by 42 percent of Americans, compared to 32 percent who said they liked him.
Meghan was found to be even less popular than her husband, with just 27 percent of Americans saying they liked her, compared to 44 percent who said they didn’t – giving her a net approval rating of -17.
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