Meghan Markle's PR move backfires as expert calls response 'desperate'

Meghan Markle made a PR move to counter her staff abuse allegations, however, a royal expert has called out the Duchess of Sussex for appearing "desperate" with her response.

The Duchess of Sussex landed in trouble after a report by The Hollywood Reporter claimed that Meghan is a difficult boss to work with, with a senior staffer describing her as a "dictator in high heels."

In response, Us Weekly published a story featuring some former and current employees defending Meghan Markle.

However, the approach did not sit well with expert Renae Smith, who argued that Meghan’s response may draw more attention to the allegations.

She told The Express, "While having named staffers defend Meghan publicly may seem like a tactical response, I don't think it's an ideal PR strategy in this case.”

"It comes across as reactive and somewhat defensive, which can appear desperate,” the expert added. "Just because some staff members offer praise doesn't negate the possibility of negative experiences from others—human behaviour is complex, and even individuals who are difficult in certain contexts can still be admired or liked by others."

Smith continued: "In PR, it’s important to remember that defending personal allegations too directly can inadvertently draw more attention to the accusations themselves, potentially leading to further scrutiny.

"A more effective approach might have been to simply acknowledge the allegations in a more neutral, professional manner without resorting to personal testimonies, while subtly refocusing the narrative on her charitable work or upcoming projects.

"This would have minimised the negative attention and aligned the conversation with her broader public image."