The couple have found a new PR guru to help build their US brand
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge made a star turn at last week’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. But although there is much to be said for charisma and gleaming smiles, the royal couple has put a lot into curating their golden image.
This week, they made a huge change to their team as they hired a new PR chief.
Lee Thompson, who currently works as the vice-president of global communications and strategic partnerships for US media group NBC Universal, has been enlisted to take over as communications secretary for the Cambridges.
Thompson’s expertise in the US market is no coincidence. The 34-year-old Leeds University graduate has been reportedly enlisted to help rehabilitate the couple’s US image following their “tone deaf” Caribbean tour, and the now infamous Oprah interview where Meghan and Prince Harry suggested a rift between the couple.
The couple’s trip around the Caribbean in February was met with wide-spread criticism, following the outdated procession and "colonial" pageantry. The pair were met with protests in Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas during the tour.
Thompson will be taking over from the previous communications secretary Victoria O'Byrne, who quit last year due to personal reasons.
The newly-appointed Thompson has previously helped increase CNBC's YouTube audience by 600% and has been described by The Sunday Times as "an inspired asset" and "a brilliant, super-engaged man who really gets the international stuff".
But it’s not just in PR that Thompson had found exponential success, the keen athlete began competing in triathlons in 2015 and finished third at the 2018 Fyn ITU Duathlon World Championships. Last year he even represented Great Britain in the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland.
Thomson began his career as a press assistant in 2007, before learning the ropes in politics as the parliamentary assistant to Labour MP Ann Keen. He went on to work for the Association of Chief Police Officers and the award-winning PR firm Freuds.
We look forward to seeing what he does with Prince William and Kate Middleton!
