Prince Harry First Amendment "Bonkers" Gaffe

Honestly, you couldn't make it up. They say you canÂ’t please all the people all the time, but here is someone in grave danger of upsetting people on both sides of the pond.

How much damage has this latest media gaffe done to the Sussex brand? Well, letÂ’s see what the fallout is, but without some serious intervention in the form of media training it seems like the Sussexes are set on eroding the goodwill that they were hoping to cultivate with their modern, forward facing outlook.

The irony is that it was not that long ago when Prince Harry was the potential saviour for the Royal Family, post Diana, with his military exploits. He almost single-handedly set up The Invictus Games to help injured and wounded soldiers. His stock was at an all-time high and so was The Royal Family's.

Those days are a far cry from the current situation. Now he is being accused of disrespecting his grandmother, The Queen, his grandfather Prince Philip as well as the USA by calling The First Amendment "Bonkers". Our world is more connected then ever and public opinion can hinge on a single tweet, (or ill-conceived remark about the first amendment) so itÂ’s crucial to send out the right messages.

Some friendly advice to Prince Harry
Get some media training, or you will end up with your reputation damaged beyond repair.

Please think before you speak and stick to subjects you know something about - ie avoid talking about the First Amendment and avoid using headline grabbing words like "bonkers".

Take a leaf out of the Royal FamilyÂ’s book. The "Royal" brand is what all the fuss is about. Whether or not you think itÂ’s right, it is what the Sussexes are still trading on in their efforts to maximise their potential earnings.

ItÂ’s a fine balance between being public figureheads and keeping the more embarrassing gaffes out of public view. Harry and Meghan need to take note of the controlled way the Royal Family approach the media, after all, no one knows better than the Royals about the power, and fragility, of a positive media presence.

Posted by Andrew Carapiet, Director of Media Friendly. For more information around Media Awareness, Training, Crisis Management, crisis media training, Broadcast Media Training, Radio and Television interview training, Proactive PR or Leading the Conversation, please contact us at [email protected], or phone us on 01628-474154. Full details are on our website www.mediafriendly.org.