How Brand Britain Now Works

It’s not just the Duchess of Sussex’s winning use of te reo Māori, New Zealand’s aboriginal people’s language, when addressing her audience in Dunedin on the celebration of a century of womens’ suffrage, nor was it Prince Harry’s use of six South Pacific languages, including Cook Islands and Marshall-ese, when he addressed a mixed reception in Australia a few days ago, that has increased their popularity by leaps and bounds Down Under. The success of the last two weeks’ tour for the royal couple, their first formal state visit in their newly-joined role as the Queen’s ambassadors, is the sum of many exquisitely-planned details. First, kudos to the courtiers of Kensington Palace. As an example of the power of soft diplomacy as practiced by the earth’s longest-reigning monarch, the tour is a work of art.

Kensington Palace courtiers, and specifically the palace’s in-house American PR czar, Jason Knauf, have been long at work on this. That the couple is polished is without question. Ms. Markle’s initial awe, if not actual starry eyes, at actually being in the Royal Family has worn off enough now so that she can fully and professionally embrace the official parts of the Duchess of Sussex role.  It is, and will continue to be, a role.  Much has been made of her ‘learning’ to cross her ankles, never her legs, and to lift her hand just so in a demur royal wave, and never to hug (a practice that she’s yet to let go), but in essence her professional schooling under the klieg lights has only added to her flexibility on this stage.

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It’s not just the Duchess of Sussex’s winning use of te reo Māori, New Zealand’s aboriginal people’s language, when addressing her audience in Dunedin on the celebration of a century of womens’ suffrage, nor was it Prince Harry’s use of six South Pacific languages, including Cook Islands and Marshall-ese, when he addressed a mixed reception in Australia a few days ago, that has increased their popularity by leaps and bounds Down Under. The success of the last two weeks’ tour for the royal couple, their first formal state visit in their newly-joined role as the Queen’s ambassadors, is the sum of many exquisitely-planned details. First, kudos to the courtiers of Kensington Palace. As an example of the power of soft diplomacy as practiced by the earth’s longest-reigning monarch, the tour is a work of art.

Kensington Palace courtiers, and specifically the palace’s in-house American PR czar, Jason Knauf, have been long at work on this. That the couple is polished is without question. Ms. Markle’s initial awe, if not actual starry eyes, at actually being in the Royal Family has worn off enough now so that she can fully and professionally embrace the official parts of the Duchess of Sussex role.  It is, and will continue to be, a role.  Much has been made of her ‘learning’ to cross her ankles, never her legs, and to lift her hand just so in a demur royal wave, and never to hug (a practice that she’s yet to let go), but in essence her professional schooling under the klieg lights has only added to her flexibility on this stage.