A former royal staff who used to work for Princess Diana has voiced a warning for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as the Sussex pair plans to launch their foundation, Archewell, this 2021.
Patrick Jephson said, during a virtual conference about creating and promoting personal branding in the United States, that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex must not stir their plans too far away from the work done by the royal family. He said that if Harry and Meghan depart "too much" from the royal tradition of public service then Archewell could fail.
The former royal chief of staff also said that the British royal family has the best branding in the world. However, Harry and Meghan appear to be pursuing a more daring venture as they close media deals with Netflix and Spotify.
Before Harry left to start a new life in the United States with Meghan, he revealed that he has forged a different path than his brother, Prince William. Ideally, both sons of Princess Diana were supposed to work together as senior royals but Harry has hinted that he wanted out of this royal life to pursue his financial independence as a private individual.
Harry's choices drew a wedge between him and William but biographer Robert Lacey believes that the brothers are in a better position to reconcile today. Over the months, it has gotten pretty clear that Harry is enjoying his freedom to pursue what he wants in the United States while William continues to dedicate his life to his duty.
On top of the Sussex pair's media deals, Harry's new objectives include pursuing public service and carrying on with the legacy of his mother, especially when it comes to mental health or conservation. Nicholl believes that William might have some concerns on how Harry could be taking over his mother's legacy, which could create another tension for Princess Diana's sons.
In December, Harry and Meghan quietly unveiled their foundation's website with photos of their mothers. It also featured an About Us section explaining the influence of their mothers in bringing Archewell together and this drew criticisms from royal observers.
Additionally, royal commentator Russell Myers said that Harry and Meghan could face more criticisms if they continue to do public service while earning money from their media contracts. The Sussexes stand to earn in multi-millions for doing their podcasts, environmental documentaries and other programs tied to their advocacies and the money it will generate could be a big issue for some royal fans.
