King Charles and his aides have selected a “chosen person” who will play a pivotal role in shaping his future reputation both before and after his death, two public relations experts have said.
Robert Hardman’s new biography of the King has caused a furore because after a serialisation in the Daily Mail revealed that Queen Elizabeth II was furious that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle claimed to have her blessing when naming their daughter Lilibet.
But according to former tabloid editor David Yelland and Simon Lewis, the late Queen’s former communications secretary, the publication of Charles III: New King, New Court also indicates a significant change in PR strategy that has gone largely unnoticed.
Speaking on the pair’s BBC podcast When It Hits the Fan, Mr Yelland – a former editor of The Sun newspaper – called it “smart planning around the King’s PR” and said: “This is about managing legacy.
“Choosing your biographer is a very big thing. With respect to the King and the late Queen and the Royal Household, they’ve also had to lean into this dilemma – who do you let in, who do you choose?
“Very quietly and with no sound, Robert Hardman – whose day job is with the Daily Mail – has been allowed access to papers and to members of the Royal Family.”
Mr Yelland also pointed that Mr Hardman was the producer of a BBC documentary about the first year of the King’s rule, which aired before Christmas.
“He is the man, they’ve chosen him,” said Mr Yelland. “For the rest of his life, Hardman will now be the chosen person.
“This is a big change. It will be controversial in some parts of the world, for example in California, Harry and Meghan’s team already think the Mail are too close to the palace and the palace must be aware of that.”
But he said it was the “correct choice”, even if it does “carry risk” for the Royal Family.
“If you’re the palace press team, whatever Hardman writes in future has credibilit,” he explained..
“In a way you’re investing in the individual, not the newspaper and I think it’s the correct PR strategy.
“It is a big move, it is a very big thing. It has not really been dwelt on probably by anyone else It’s a big move it’s important.”
