Prince William’s ability to balance the “paradox” of being a royal and being a celebrity have been highlighted by a PR expert, after it was noted that he and his wife Princess Kate have carried out a number of recent engagements separately.
William travelled to New York earlier this month for a successful visit in aid of his environmental commitments, however some asked him why Kate had not accompanied him on the trip.
Meanwhile Kate has been accused of shunning royal travel abroad, after it was reported that she is not expected to fly to Singapore with her husband to attend the Earthshot Awards in November.
The Princess of Wales is often hailed as one of the most popular royals and has been described as a “secret weapon”, however chief executive of PR firm Go Up Edward Coram-James believes William is doing a sterling job too by himself.
He told Express.co.uk: “There isn’t much that the Prince of Wales can do to boost interest in his visits that he isn’t already doing. The truth is that this first year of him being the Prince of Wales has been an unfair year on which to judge his performance in terms of generating positive PR.
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“The year has been marred by a series of significant challenges that would have provided a PR dilemma for even the most seasoned crisis communications veteran.”
Mr Coram-James explained how the royals had faced a number of challenges over the past year, from the death of Queen Elizabeth to the ongoing feud with Prince Harry.
He elaborated: “The aim for year one should have been to keep his head above water, before pulling the rest of his body above water with it in year two. Prince William has achieved that and more.
“The issues with Prince Harry would have sunk most others. When pressed, principals often find it impossible not to let their emotions get the better of them and to enter into a toxic, race-to-the-bottom tit-for-tat war of words. Prince William played an absolute blinder.
“By rising above the fray, not responding but instead continuing with his duties, he looked mature and like a leader.”
The expert drew attention to William’s responsibilites as a father, as he and Kate are famously doting parents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Although the three children are still at school, they occasionally accompany their parents on visits when appropriate, such as their Coronation trip to a Scout hut in Slough.
Mr Coram-James explained that royal PR and celebrity PR are not the same thing, as while Hollywood clientele are looking to make a big splash with a publicity stunt, the Firm must carry out their duties with less fuss while still ensuring the attention is all on their causes.
He added: “The balancing act is that the principal has to appear low key and non-attention seeking, while ensuring that the cameras are very much there to watch them being low key!
“This paradox must be played out so convincingly that the public doesn’t notice it, all that they see is Prince William being understated!
“With that in mind, the objective for Prince William’s PR is to portray him as Kingly but human, dutiful but friendly, a leader but a servant, a Prince but a husband and a father, otherly but relatable.
“Each of those facets needs to work in harmony and equilibrium with its opposite number, and none of them can become out of balance. For instance, if William becomes too human, then he stops appearing Kingly.
“And what’s a point in having a future King if he isn’t Kingly? But, if he becomes too Kingly, then he stops appearing human. And if he loses his humanity then he loses his popularity.”
