Prince Harry has shifted from a royal asset to a liability as brands have begun to question the worth of the Sussex brand.
Royal expert Richard Eden has said that Harry has “gone from being this great asset to actually, you know potentially a bit of a liability” for brands.
The expert’s comments come after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in a new video where the couple spoke to a host of young leaders as part of their new initiative to improve the digital world.
In the video, which was released on Thursday, the couple phone a few young leaders, all ecstatic at the thought of speaking to the former royals.
Mr Eden’s comments also come after many experts suggest that the Duke of Sussex “is losing his star power”.
Speaking on this week’s Palace Confidential, host Jo Elvin was joined by Mr Eden and Town & Country’s Contributing Editor, Victoria Murphy.
While discussing the latest video, Mr Eden did call it “interesting” as it was all about “showing how marvellous Harry and Meghan were”.
He added: “It was a bit cringe-making. The video just seemed to say ‘we’re here, we’re great, and everyone love us’.”
People in the world of PR have said that Harry is becoming a “lightning rod for negative PR”. These comments come after Harry was overlooked by the Travalyst relaunch.
The independent non-profit project, which was launched by the Duke of Sussex in 2019, announced that it had entered an “incredibly exciting” era – although failed to give any mention of Harry.
Speaking out regarding this, PR experts have now stated that Harry has become a “polarising figure” and that businesses would “second think their association” with him, particularly after his string of damaging claims in his tell-all memoir.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline: “Businesses rely on spokespeople who engage their audience, elevate by association and generally benefit from the relationship. The tide of negativity towards the prince post the book Spare has made businesses second think their association.
“Whilst Harry can be perceived as a man on a mission to right many wrongs and take institutions to task, this one-man crusade may not fit in to the narrative of the businesses he put his name to on leaving the UK.”
Prince Harry has also been branded an “afterthought” following news that his own company had stopped using his name to promote its activities.
Newsweek Royal Correspondent Jack Royston told True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat that Harry’s sustainable tourism project Travalyst is no longer using him prominently in its marketing materials.
Mr Royston said: “When [Travalyst] want to market, PR or promote something and want to get attention for it on the world stage, previously [they would] stick Harry’s name at the top and all the media will cover it… they will all be writing about it.
“Seemingly, they no longer feel that they want to do that. In the whole of 2022, six out of seven press releases had Harry at the top or quoted prominently and being used to brand and market the organization. Now he is kind of an afterthought.”
