Remember the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Montecito years? It took them a good four or five years to really get a competent communications team in place to execute a proactive comms strategy. The wilderness-comms years were rough, remember? We were regularly begging Harry and Meghan to issue statements or react to any of the terrible narratives being foisted upon them, and they refused. The real shift was in 2025, when Meghan promoted With Love, Meghan and launched As Ever. It was great – the people working with Meghan for all of that were very smart. Apparently, that was the same team which organized Harry’s 2025 BBC interview, and the subsequent London meeting with King Charles’ senior aides. Well, Harry and Meghan have been trying to bring their “new comms strategy” with them to England. Their team has been reacting to almost everything and giving almost daily briefings to a handful of outlets. All of this has the palace in a panic.
The Palace is bracing for a battle it has no intention of starting. Sources tell Naughty But Nice that Harry and Meghan’s increasingly aggressive strategy of publicly challenging Palace statements has alarmed royal insiders, who fear the Sussexes are prepared to turn every disagreement into another public confrontation.
“Harry and Meghan feel completely unleashed,” a royal source tells Naughty But Nice. “They believe silence failed them before, so now their attitude is: if the Palace says something they don’t like, they will answer. They’re no longer afraid of the consequences.”
But insiders insist King Charles has no intention of being dragged into an endless war of words with his younger son. The King’s strategy is simple: dignity, restraint and silence.
“Charles will not turn the monarchy into a reality show,” says the source. “He isn’t going to respond to every complaint, accusation or perceived slight. The Crown has survived far bigger storms by refusing to wrestle in the mud.”
Prince William, however, is understood to be more protective of the institution — and far less comfortable allowing Harry and Meghan to control the narrative unchallenged.
“William doesn’t want a war, but he also won’t allow the monarchy to become a punching bag,” adds the insider. “If lines are crossed, he believes facts should be corrected quickly and firmly.”
That leaves the Palace facing an extraordinary dilemma: how do you fight opponents determined to engage when your greatest weapon has always been refusing to fight?
“Harry and Meghan want a response,” says the source. “Charles believes the most powerful response may be giving them none.”
[From Rob Shuter’s Substack]
I mean… Charles isn’t staying silent. The palace isn’t staying silent. “Dignified silence” is not Charles’ style. There was the clarification letter, sent out on Monday, and at least a half-dozen briefings to the palace’s friendly reporters pushing back on Team Sussex’s briefings to the Telegraph, the BBC and People Magazine. It’s a legit communications crisis for the palace because the Sussexes are not letting the palace get the last word, nor are the Sussexes allowing the palace to dictate the narrative. That’s what happens when two people are outside the tent, pissing in. This is what they should have been doing for the past eight years. But here we are. A palace in crisis because Harry and Meghan’s comms team is super-chatty.
Photos courtesy of Instar.
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USA Rights Only – Johannesburg, South Africa -20191002- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, visit Tembisa township during the last day of their tour in Africa.
-PICTURED: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
-PHOTO by: Dominic Lipinski/PA Images/INSTARimages.com
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USA Rights Only – Nuku’Alofa, Tonga -20181026- Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex visit Toloa Forest Reserve for The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy during their tour of the Kingdom of Tonga.
-PICTURED: Meghan Duchess of Sussex
-PHOTO by: Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment/INSTARimages.com
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- North America Rights Only, London, England – 20220603- National Service of Thanksgiving On Day Two Of The Platinum Jubilee Celebrations -PICTURED: Meghan Duchess of Sussex -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com -67260352 Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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North America Rights Only, London, England – 20220603- National Service of Thanksgiving On Day Two Of The Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
-PICTURED: Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry
-PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com
-67259710Disclaimer:
This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- USA Rights Only – London, UK -20180619-Royals Attending Royal Ascot Day at Ascot Racecourse -PICTURED: Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Prince Charles and Prince Harry -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com -37087496.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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USA Rights Only – Wellington, New Zealand -20181028- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Government House in Wellington, New Zealand.
-PICTURED: Prince Harry Duke of Sussex, Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Jacinda Ardern
-PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com
-39372797.jpgThis is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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USA Rights Only – London, UK -20180710-UK Royals Attend RAF 100 Service at Westminster Abbey
-PICTURED: Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry
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- USA Rights Only – Tonga, Oceania -20181025- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend an official welcome at Consular House in Tonga on the first day of their visit to the country. -PICTURED: Meghan Duchess of Sussex -PHOTO by: Paul Edwards/PA Images/INSTARimages.com -39316632.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- USA Rights Only – Cape Town, South Africa -20190925- Duchess of Sussex on Day 3 of Royal Visit to Africa. -PICTURED: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex -PHOTO by: Paul Edwards/INSTARimages.com -45577896.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
