PR disasters thread 29

[BigWillyLittleTodger]

It’s a September return to Salty Island!

They really have to make UK work. Whatever that means for them. They can't go back to the US

The judge's ruling is out. Looks costly. Copying over what I posted on the thread about it

Mr Justice Nicklin has ordered the seven claimants (including Prince Harry) to pay Associated Newspapers’ costs on the indemnity basis — a significant step that removes the usual proportionality limit & resolves any doubt in ANL’s favor.

The Court found the way the claims were pleaded, pursued & maintained took the litigation “well outside the norm.”

An interim payment of £9.54 million must be made by 4pm on 28 August. Final recoverable costs (ANL’s bill stands at ~£34.5m) will be decided later by a Costs Judge if not agreed. Permission-to-appeal timetable also set.

A decisive ruling on both principle & payment. Full judgment & summary now available on the Judiciary website.

I bet they won't do anything in particular in the UK, beyond the stuff Harry is already doing with his veterans' charities, at least not for a long time. It's going to be much harder for them as well in the UK, as everyone will be wary of treading on Charles' and William's toes.

I find it hard to believe that Meghan wants to live in the UK. This is all Harry's doing and she has to go along with it. The "rumour" that she has a role is nonsense, in my opinion. The theory that she will still be spending time in the US for her "business interests" sounds more plausible to me.

That would be funny. I do hope they'd make her a traitor, then when she's outed, she has to stand up and admit that yes, she's been a traitor from the start.

There is no acting role. If her small cameo role in personal friends movie (I think that's what it was called) ended up on the cutting role floor. So absurd

I think whatever security arrangements were made when Harry (and M and the children) were here in July must have satisfied him, and now he is bringing them all back and will be expecting it 24/7 .
£5 million pa has been mentioned somewhere.
I actually don't think Charles/RF should be liable for it. Charles already has to cover the cost of Andrew - not just security but all his staff and living costs.
Now there will be H&M without any discernible income but a big begging bowl.

Security wise Harry upped the ante with his stupid account of his time in Afghanistan in Spare. Meanwhile it is clear that the UK isn't as safe as we might like to think for people in the public eye, obviously most recently there has been poor Anne Widdecombe, but there have been other attacks and murders of MP's prior to that. Ravec or whoever need to assess risk for a range of people in the public eye. I don't see Charles as being any more liable for paying for Harry than he is for paying for Nigel Farage.

It's extremely annoying though. Harry has basically given up after all his lost court battles but will emerge victorious anyway just because.
And meanwhile the poor old tax payer will have to pay.

And I do believe that there is collateral increased risk to the wider royal family, thanks to all the information that is now in the public domain as a result of Harry's complaints, interviews and court battles etc.

My sympathies also to the police or other security people assigned to deal with them.

I’m still a bit baffled as to how this would work in practice, though. The “ working”members of the RF, apart from Charles, Camilla and the Wales, only have security when they are on a job for the RF as it were. Given that the Sussexes are not going to
be doing this, on what basis will they be allocated security? We don’t really know what security, if any, they were granted when they were here in July. And as has been discussed many times, they can’t just decide to go off on a jolly and expect Special Protection to be available at the drop of a hat. It’s one thing giving them security when they are just visiting, but why would they have it when they live here? Their security was always going to be downgraded, even if they had remained as full time royals and never gone to the States. They are not that important, whatever they like to think

I think William needs to clamp down on all the negative press directed at him
It needs to be nipped in the bud

I hate to say this but a statement might be needed
? acknowledging all the hurt to the family and untruths we want the best for Harry and his children and hope they settle well

That would actually take the wind out of their sails

Then continue to blank him

I think a pr strategy is needed akin to the recollections vary statement - the children are their shields but are innocent in all this

I agree with you but unfortunately won't happen. Grey rock won't work this time. Don't HAM have access to KC diary ? They will upstage them at all times

Haven’t they tried the rival court nonsense in the US already? Look at how well that went for them.
Can’t see it flying over here either.

He was having a fit before and during the July trip, precisely because he didn't get the security he wanted. The prime minister has made it clear that their security is a "private" matter, in other words it's for them to supply for themselves privately, not a matter for the state.

I don't agree, although understand why you say this.

Grey rock, don't complain, don't explain.

It is the only way- anything else just adds fuel

The Monarchy is bigger than the sum of its parts

Yes I don’t understand why two non working members of the royal family who pursue their own commercial interests and who don’t live on Palace grounds are being touted in the press as needing round the clock security at the cost of the British tax payer, it’s ridiculous.

Yes effectively a ‘Reconciliations May Vary’ statement ….

Someone rightly pointed out in the other thread that this could easily be the first step of separation for Meghan. She is coming along just to make sure he's settled back into life in the UK and doesn't become a liability floating around the USA. Every single thing about the move makes no sense from her perspective.

If someone started an AIBU about a husband who generated 10M worth of debt and now expects the wife and kids to make a transatlantic move while he attempt to rectify it, then you can only imagine what that replies would be! She's probably only planning to hang around for a few year, maybe until Will's coronation and will divorce.

Having the kids in boarding school would also make sense because that makes her fully independent in just 5-7 years.

I actually agree a statement from them might be needed now

The hysterical nonsense about security is insane right now they dont need it ann doesn't get it unless she is working he shouldn't either

The ‘security’ they were given in July was ‘just’ a review of what they needed at that time according to international intelligence and it was found they didn’t need cinematic 24/7 round the clock, armed guards, motorcade with outriders screeching around London and the back lanes of the Cotswolds.

Marina Hyde has written on the return of the dynamic duo. While I find her columns more variable these days, this is funny. My favourite moments:

One of the funniest aspects of Meghan and Harry coverage is how their decisions are always analysed as though we were parsing the 4D chess moves of 19th-century master strategists. We are forever imagining we are dealing with a couple of Bismarcks or Clausewitzes, as opposed to a resting actor and the “chief impact officer” of a firm designed to offer tech-based solutions to men crying in their cars or something.

someone’s class WhatsApp group just got an incredible new member. Speaking as a veteran of these digital abysses of passive aggression, may I state that the absolute last thing you need on one is someone whose stated life philosophy is to “create wonder in every moment”.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/aug/21/harry-meghan-return-to-britain-theories-california

Regarding security. They want what the Wales have. Simple. If h had any common sense, unfortunately he does not. He would accept that. He would also keep his head down for a few months and concentrate on reconciling with his entire family not just KC. Issue public apology to KC, QC, Will and C. It may well help him get working royal role again. He needs that. He is completely and utterly useless and simply cannot do anything else.

Hmm.

Pondering further I am wondering if MM is aware H is losing the plot fast after the various failures and humiliations followed by the ANL disaster and she is now scraping him off like a ginger barnacle?

She is a natural survivor, much more resilient than him and he is looking more and more like a mangy millstone around her neck.

She may well prefer her chances as an ex wife who can spin the narrative to her favour far more than being tied to the walking natural disaster who she married.

It would be a bad look for her to leave him cold and for then him to then have a full on breakdown but if she can gently detach him on to his father and then casually drift away to focus on her “international” matters the optics are far better and he can sort of half function under the care of the MIGS.

Children can board and see her in the holidays.

Might be a ponder too far but it is entirely possible.

I think a "despite the untruths and hurt caused...." statement sounds an excellent idea. Not only would it be factual and appropriate, it would drive H and M to distraction with impotent rage

HaM left America after alienating key entertainment industry powerbrokers and making their supporters look foolish. Their wild PR push via frantic briefings to their media whatsapp group shows zero lessons learned. The timing was interesting, H would know from years of going to Balmoral when the family would congregate there.

HaM announced their return in the same manner they left - unilateral declarations that no one has signed off on and with zero consideration of the ramifications on others - in particular their own two children.

Just like Diana found out, the press is an insatiable beast. Even more unfortunately for HaM, ANL is unleashed with a vendetta. Social media creators don't care for anything beyond the clicks/views that they will monetise. It will be a nightmare for HaM and that is before the impending Sentebale lawsuit, the red flags in Invictus finances and the unresolved issues at African Parks for the Baka and others.

IMHO, this ends in tears.

The Guardian article is brilliant. I wish I could write like that. What I find interesting is compared to Megxit, public opinion seems to be a lot more united. A lot of people were sympathetic to them when they left the UK. Now according to people I talk to and what I read on social media, the general consensus is that they are back because they failed and need money and no one wants to see the King or the public purse to be supporting them. Andy Burnham is on record to say security for them is a private matter.

@PullTheBricksDown

someone’s class WhatsApp group just got an incredible new member. Speaking as a veteran of these digital abysses of passive aggression, may I state that the absolute last thing you need on one is someone whose stated life philosophy is to “create wonder in every moment”.

Beautiful writing from Marina Hyde😂

Oh my goodness. You nailed it. They timed the announcement till all the family were under one roof at Balmoral.