The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would want to be seen as more than royals in the UK and their values match with teenagers, expert claims.
Eric Schiffer, a brand and reputation management expert says he considers the Duke and Duchess “masterplan” could be how they are perceived.point 245 |
The California-based commentator spoke about what he considers the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s master plan maybe while discussing the recent work being carried out by the Royal Family.point 163 | 1
He said: “I think Meghan and Harry’s master plan is to position themselves as the royals of the world, not just of the UK, and done through acts of benevolence and leadership with the heart that is meaningful to the values and desires of Gen Z and Millennials.”
After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal life in 2020, they said they would work to become “financially independent.” Since then, they have been involved in a number of business ventures.
Mr. Schiffer said that the couple has been vocal about causes younger generations are deeply passionate about, including the environment, gender, and racial equality. The expert believes that Harry and Meghan have been able to reach the younger generations who are more passionate about these similar subjects.
The environment has been at the forefront of Prince Harry’s work for years. Following in Prince Philip’s footsteps, he became a vocal advocate for conservation. Prince Harry formalized his passion in 2017 when he was elected president of African Parks.
Two years later, the Duke interviewed Dr. Jane Goodall for the September issue of Vogue-guest in 2019, which Meghan edited, and during their chat, he expressed his concerns for future generations over the limited resources of the planet and revealed he and the Duchess would not have more than two children.
In the same year, Prince Harry also led the launch of Travalyst, which unite giants in the travel sectors in an effort to make sustainable tourism more mainstream.
After they stepped down as senior royals at the end of March 2020, Meghan and Harry also spoke freely about issues that aren’t normally discussed by working royals, including race and gender equality.
In April 2020, during a video call with young leaders and members of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, the royal couple called for holding “uncomfortable” discussions when it comes to the past.
Meghan Markle said: “We’re going to have to be a little uncomfortable right now because it’s only in pushing through that discomfort that we get to the other side of this and find the place where a high tide raises all ships.”
“Equality does not put anyone on the back foot, it puts us all on the same footing – which is a fundamental human right,” she added.
The Duke and Duchess have talked about race and equality issues on a number of occasions including in October 2020, when Harry opened up about his own experience with racism, saying he became aware of unconscious racial bias after meeting his wife.
Speaking with Patrick Hutchinson, Harry said: “No one’s pointing the fingers. You can’t really point fingers, especially when it comes to unconscious bias. But once you realize or you feel a little bit uncomfortable, then the onus is on you to go out and educate yourself because ignorance is no longer an excuse.”
While Meghan has been hailed a champion of gender equality since childhood, were on age 11, she wrote to Procter & Gamble and called a dishwashing advert sexist.
She famously put the spotlight on Procter & Gamble after perceiving its advert for dishwashing Ivory Soap as sexist. Then child wrote letters to the company as well to influential US women, including Hillary Clinton, after which Procter & Gamble changed its advert’s slogan.
After joining the Royal Family and being the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan continued to promote gender equality through her work. Recently, Meghan personally called a number of U.S. senators to lobby for federal paid parental leave. She said it is “humanitarian” rather than political.
Less than a year after her marriage with Prince Harry, she marked International Women’s Day by joining a panel of feminist leaders and activists to discuss the importance of taking action.
Meghan’s work on gender equality and supporting women continued after she left the firm, and in August she marked her 40th birthday by launching a mentorship effort to help women who have lost their job during the pandemic but are trying to re-enter the market.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also spoken out about climate change, vaccine equity, and mental health which are all specific topics that matter so much to the target audience.