Meghan Markle has been urged to copy one senior royal in a bid to turn her public image around. The 44-year-old, who has previously referred to herself as "the most trolled person in the world," has seen her reputation decline since stepping down from royal life in 2020, with it dipping further with each month that passes.
Camilla's Journey as a Blueprint
Speaking of Queen Camilla, author and journalist Catherine Mayer argued that the Queen's journey from royal outsider to respected senior royal could be a path that Meghan could try and copy. She told HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast: "Camilla has the opposite arc to Meghan. She has gone from probably one of the most hated women in the world, where she was seen as the other woman in the Charles and Diana marriage breakdown, to being solidly up there in the popularity ratings."
Discussing the current moment, she added: "She's now seen as a stalwart of the monarchy as opposed to the biggest threat that it faced."
Historical Context
Mayer, whose has penned a new book called 'Divide & Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles,' said that Camilla's rise in public esteem has been one of the most significant royal image rehabilitations in modern history. Also making sure to include Princess Catherine and Duchess Sophie, she added that Camilla is one of the monarchy's most successful examples of an "incomer" adapting to royal life.
Key Factors in Camilla's Success
She also praised the Queen's growing popularity on a few areas, including how well she supported the King during his cancer journey. Mayer said: "A lot of the people I've talked to did not want to be named, but I did talk to Paddy Harverson, who was named, who was the secretary of communications throughout the really key period leading up to their marriage, and his whole thing was: 'Well if people see more of her [Camilla] they'll like her.'"
"And that is absolutely true, but I think it needed that bedding down into the formal queen consort role for that to work, and it also needed the warmth from other family members to help that to grow."
Queen Camilla married the King in 2005, becoming stepmother to his sons, Princes William and Harry.
