Inside Meghan Markle's 'challenging' reputational rehabilitation

Returning to the United Kingdom is one thing. Changing the public's perception is another. For Meghan Markle, rebuilding her reputation back on British soil could prove to be a "huge challenge."

Describing the Sussexes' imminent move back across the pond as "extraordinary," pr and brand expert Nick Ede tells HELLO!: "I see it as a huge challenge because they have to really change the public's perception of them. Harry and Meghan do have a fan base, people will always have a soft spot for Harry for what he went through with his mother. I think for Meghan it's going to be much harder for her to establish herself in any shape or form."

"It's a challenge optically for them as it looks like they've come back with their tail between their legs, no matter how much you spin it and say the children want to know their heritage and be in the country that where they're from."

Prince Harry and Meghan's relocation to the UK this month comes after six years of residing in the United States with their son Prince Archie and daughter Princess Lilibet, who was born in California the year after their first transatlantic move. After stepping back from royal duties in 2020, the Duke and Duchess set out to become financially independent, buying a multimillion dollar home in Montecito and embarking on a new life.

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While the Duke's "heart really lies with his charity work," which includes veterans and WellChild, Nick believes the move to the UK is going to be "very difficult" for the As ever founder given how she's "been so vocal about her feelings towards the UK and the UK Press especially."

Meghan has spoken in the past about trying to adopt the "British sensibility of a stiff upper lip" and how her friends warned her prior to marrying Harry that the British tabloids would "destroy" her life. "I’m American. We don’t have that there. 'What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense. I'm not in tabloids.' I didn't get it," she told ITV's Tom Bradby in 2019. The pair have since taken legal action against several newspapers. 

What's next for Meghan?

Leading public relations expert Mark Borkowski agrees that winning over the British public is going to be the real challenge for the Duchess of Sussex. He tells HELLO!: "It's how she finds a way of bringing back that so-called magic that they once had in the Fab Four back in the day. There's plenty of yummy mummy brands out there for health and wellbeing, and I think if she chooses the wrong thing she could become a parody."

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Perhaps one option could be the West End, with there already being interest in having Meghan appear on stage. "I know at least three or four West End theatre producers who would have her in a production tomorrow. If Amanda Knox could be the biggest talking point of Edinburgh [the Edinburgh Festival Fringe], why wouldn't Meghan? Whether she wants to do that, I don't know, but a very sharp producer would definitely see a vehicle for her," Mark says. "The only thing they need to get right now is get themselves a good team that doesn't kowtow to what they want to hear."

But pr expert Nick Ede has no interest in joining that team. "I wouldn't because we've seen it in America where they've gone through so many publicists and PRs and it hasn't gone well for anybody," he says. "So how is it going to go well for somebody in the UK?"

"I think it's a really challenging job, and it can be reputationally damaging for everybody involved. It's very interesting to see where this is going to go."