2024 seems to be the year where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are getting serious about their brand. They spent four years in brand-building mode, putting together a team based in California for their podcasting, Netflix work and charitable endeavors. For four years, everything was seemingly California-based – they weren’t allowed to retain a staff or space in the UK when they exited in 2020, and they didn’t bother having an Archewell-employed representative in the UK to handle their media there. Which was fine with me – it seemed perfectly reasonable that they would base everything out of California, and the British media has spent four years desperately trying to track the Sussexes’ comings and goings from thousands of miles away. Then, a few months ago, we heard that the Sussexes were looking to hire a UK representative. I didn’t really understand why, after all this time. But it happened – they’ve hired someone.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have hired a brand manager who previously counted dog food firm Pedigree as a client to represent them in the UK. Charlie Gipson, 41, who joins their operation from global communications firm Edelman, has also represented commercial brands including Mars, Cadbury, Dominos and Lucozade in the past.
He said on his LinkedIn profile that he had launched “delicious new treats for Mars”, covered Crufts with Pedigree and once dressed up as Pudsey the Bear for Children In Need, when he was “chauffeured around the BBC TV studios by Matt Baker in a rickshaw”.
Mr Gipson will serve as the Sussexes’ main point of contact for all UK and European media, working alongside their US-based PR team, including global press secretary Ashley Hansen and newly recruited deputy press secretary Kyle Boulia, both in Los Angeles. He is said to have “excelled in media relations and strategic communication planning” for clients including Samsung and Instagram.
The couple’s PR operation has proved far from a walk in the park, not least due to the ongoing schism with the rest of the Royal family, a string of legal battles and decidedly mixed fortunes when it came to their fledgling broadcast careers. As such, Harry and Meghan have had a relatively high turnover with their communications advisers, with notable departures including Silicon Valley executive Christine Schirmer, who stepped down as head of communications but was retained as an adviser.
The couple have also pivoted on their initial refusal to deal with the British tabloids, with their current team recognising that it was more conducive to maintain open lines of communication. The Duke and Duchess opted not to retain any UK-based staff when they moved abroad in January 2020, instead building a team in California. They employed former palace staff Clara Loughran and Beth Herlihy on a freelance basis to work on charity projects in the UK. However, the increasing workload and ongoing interest in the couple in the UK prompted their advisers to search for a UK-based PR to help relieve the pressure and better deal with queries in another time zone.
“The couple have also pivoted on their initial refusal to deal with the British tabloids, with their current team recognising that it was more conducive to maintain open lines of communication.” Not so much “communication” and more like “they understood that they need someone on the ground to deny the British media’s lies within the same newscycle.” At least that’s what I hope – a more proactive, engaged, mature and responsive communications strategy. Plus, I wonder if Meghan wants someone in the UK for when she launches American Riviera Orchard Global.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex, during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. Featuring: Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 12 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY** 
Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex, during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. Featuring: Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 12 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY** 
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle attend day 4 of the Invictus Games at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan Markle Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 13 Sep 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex during day 4 of Invictus Games 2023 at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf. Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan Markle Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 13 Sep 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE** 
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex attend Sitting Volleyball on day 6 of the Invictus Games at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf Featuring: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 15 Sep 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE** 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the IG25 and Team Canada Reception at the Hilton Hotel during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 15 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the IG25 and Team Canada Reception at the Hilton Hotel during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. Featuring: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 15 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY** 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the IG25 and Team Canada Reception at the Hilton Hotel during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. Featuring: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 15 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY** 
Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcW5oaYJxe9OhnJirpajApsTErJahoaKasaCtvq6imKqVpb%2Bmv8Snq5qsmauyoMDOmJ%2BappShsqDAx56gq5eSp7a1tdKhlp6toqS9pq3NmKSenJmWfA%3D%3D