Royal Mistake: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Should Be Embarrassed With This 'Tacky Choice'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have earned a lot from their first post-Megxit gig, but a PR expert has criticized the royal couple for cheapening their brand.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex flew from their home in Canada to attend JPMorgan's Alternative Investment Summit at Miami, Florida to give out a speech. The said event was attended by bankers, celebrities and billionaires, including former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, Jennifer Lopez, New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft and many more.
However, public relations expert Mark Borkowski has questioned whether Prince Harry should be capitalizing on his personal issues for financial gain.
"This shows how difficult it is going to be. They've got to make a lot of money, and they are going to slip up on the way," Borkowski told Daily Mail.
A source told Page Six that the young prince's speech focused on his mental health and loss of his mother, Princess Diana, who died in 1997 in a car crash in Paris after a chase with paparazzi. The Duke of Sussex reportedly revealed how he has been in therapy over the past three years to overcome the trauma of losing his mother.
Prince Harry also allegedly talked about their decision to step back from royal duties.
"He talked about how the events of his childhood affected him," the source continued regarding Megxit, "He does not regret their decision to step down as royals because he doesn't want Meghan and their son Archie to go through what he did as a child."
However, Borkowski expressed his concern on how many of these types of gigs are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle going to attend, suggesting that it is wrong for Harry to "play the card about his mental health."
Prince Harry faced backlash on social media for using his mom's memory to make money.
One Twitter user said, "I'm literally disgusted that Harry is now dragging up Diana's death to earn money. I really didn't think he would stoop that low."
According to The Daily Mail, the couple could have pocketed between $500,000 and $1 million for the appearance, and the investment firm even flew the royal couple from Vancouver to Palm Beach via private jet.
"For JP Morgan, it's an extraordinary 'get.' They clearly have the money to afford them, but Harry and Meghan need to avoid being perceived as tacky," the PR expert concluded,
Another insider told Page Six that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's appearance at the event was a brilliant move to rub elbows with the most elite people. It also helped that the conference was all about "building wealth" and "making the world better" for future generations, a topic close to Prince Harry's heart.
Another PR expert Ronn Torossian said that the Duke and Duchess were in "hot demand" following their exit as senior royal members and could earn a staggering amount of money.
He said he would not be shocked if they really earned up to $1 million in the event because he believes the couple will be the highest-paid speakers that exist on the corporate market.
Although it is not unheard of for members of the royal family to pursue their careers, it is rare for senior royals to give up their royal funding to pursue financial independence.
