Meghan’s newspaper article about miscarriage sign of new media approach
The Duchess of Sussex used the New York Times piece to speak directly to the public about a personal subject.
A candid newspaper essay rather than an official statement was how the Duchess of Sussex chose to tell the world about the loss of her unborn baby.
Meghan used the more intimate format of the first-person New York Times article to describe her experiences and highlight the plight of women who have been through the same harrowing events.
A move taken despite the Sussexes strengthening their American public relations team in recent weeks, ahead of an expected expansion of their charitable work.
The decision is linked to the couple stepping down as working royals and moving to America for personal and financial freedom.
They no longer have to follow royal convention and always make announcements through a public relations team or get staff to brief royal correspondents from media organisations who are part of the royal rota system that covers official events involving the monarchy.
An official website, now apparently dormant, launched soon after Meghan and Harry said they wanted to change their roles, described at the time how the couple wanted to move away from the long-established rota convention.
It said: “The duke and duchess have chosen to revise their media policy to reflect both their forthcoming change as members of the royal family with financial independence, and their wish to reshape and broaden access to their work.”
Harry has also strongly criticised certain sections of the British media in the past and accused them of bullying his wife.
The website also stated: “Britain’s royal correspondents are regarded internationally as credible sources of both the work of members of the royal family as well as of their private lives.
“This misconception propels coverage that is often carried by other outlets around the world, amplifying frequent misreporting. Regrettably, stories that may have been filed accurately by royal correspondents are, also, often edited or rewritten by media editorial teams to present false impressions.”
It appears Meghan chose to speak directly to the public, rather than use her own media staff, in a bid to highlight an issue with a voice of authenticity.
Future developments in the lives of the Sussexes are likely to follow a similar course.
