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It's been a difficult week for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as the couple continues to face growing scrutiny over a series of missteps and controversies. Multiple prominent US publications that were once sympathetic to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have turned more critical in their coverage.
Newsweek published a damning headline stating that the bullying allegations against Meghan are a "smoking crater" on her reputation. This is significant as Newsweek had been generally favorable in their Meghan coverage until now. The piece quoted a reputation management consultant saying the bullying claims are very damaging due to the emerging pattern of behavior. They called into question Meghan's leadership abilities and judgment.
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At the same time, Prince Harry came under fire for hypocrisy during a trip to New York City. While Harry has been outspoken against the tabloid media in the UK, photos emerged of him meeting with reporters from Vanity Fair and Town & Country. This contradicted his claims of wanting to avoid publicity. Even more bizarrely, Harry made a pointless celebrity cameo on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. However, he did not seem to be promoting anything in particular. Many found this appearance unbecoming of a royal and questioned whether he took the payment just for the sake of it.
Harry's actions in New York came after trying to position himself as a serious global advocate earlier in the trip. However, his Tonight Show bit undermined those efforts. As British commentator Taz pointed out, Harry needs to "pick a lane" between playing a silly celebrity and being an influential leader. His haphazard trip highlighted the difficulties he and Meghan face in trying to establish meaningful careers outside the royal framework.
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I brought these issues to the attention of Royal News Network editor Britney, who provides invaluable insight into the North American perspective. She agreed that American media outlets are finally catching up to the reality reported earlier in the UK. In particular, Valentine Low's original Times report on Meghan's alleged bullying has largely been proven accurate.
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Britney also reflected on the "revolving door" of staff departures from Harry and Meghan's employment. While the Sussexes try to blame normal job changes, it seems clear there are deeper issues. She noted reports of their incompetence in business dealings, inability to take advice, and lack of any meaningful work product thus far. All of this tracks with the poor reviews of their time in Hollywood from The Hollywood Reporter's exposé.
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Significantly, Meghan has gone into hiding this week following these devastating critiques. She did not attend an important charity event and has not been seen since. This suggests the damage to her reputation is severe. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail's royal editor Richard Eden reports Harry and Meghan are pursuing increasingly separate careers now, with no joint projects announced. They seem to be shifting to individual brands after the failure of their "power couple" image.
A rare bright spot came in news of Kate Middleton's low-key return to public life following chemotherapy. She quietly attended an English National Ballet performance and posted about her enjoyment on Instagram. Signing the post "C", she confirmed her attendance without any fanfare. This shows her confidence in recovering is growing, to the joy of the royal family and public.
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Though challenges remain for Harry and Meghan abroad, the royals in the UK continue their steady work. I finished by asking Britney her opinion on the new beard sported by Prince William in Scotland recently. While she had mixed views, I am fully in support - it seems to suit him well and comes as he and Kate enter a happy phase. Overall, another eventful week demonstrated the Sussexes have lost control of their narrative at a pivotal time. Major adjustments may be needed if they hope to rebuild from here.
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