How Lady Gaga transformed from popstar to political powerhouse
Evening Standard
It is an image which makes it abundantly clear that America is moving on from Trump.
The Queen of counter-cultural pop Lady Gaga stood at the inauguration belting out the Star-Spangled Banner in a blush pink skirt by so puffy that she could hardly walk in it, to celebrate her friend Joe Biden becoming President. If President-deselect Donald Trump was still on Twitter you can only imagine how incandescent his tweets would be — he would be spitting with envy at the line-up of popstars that Joe Biden commanded, especially given that everyone from Neil Young to Adele refused to be associated with him. Biden had J-Lo as his warm-up act. If her poised performance wasn’t enough, he also had Amanda Gorman, who gave the world hope with her poem and then he only went and got the New Radicals back together.
But Gaga is the one who must have really riled Trump. She is an outsider who has always stuck up for people who are different and, in the past year, she has cemented her position as a popstar philanthropist who makes an impact — no wonder Biden wants her on side. She appeared nervous last night, growing in confidence as she went on. But it was a significant performance, as big as the enormous gold dove of peace brooch pinned to her chest (has she been taking style notes from Baroness Hale and her spider?) For all the quips about how it looks as if he is her grandfather and how her outfit was a bit Hunger Games, they are a powerful union of pop appeal and politics. Gaga gets things done. Her One World: Together at Home concert at the start of the pandemic helped raise $127 million for frontline care workers (and lifted spirits with an utterly mind-bending performance from Elton John mispronouncing the chorus of his song I’m Still Standing — Google it).
On the surface, Lady Gaga is synonymous with a wild, disco attitude and an ability to surprise. This is a woman whose first hit, Just Dance, was about her losing her keys and phone in a nightclub, unable to see straight and wondering “How did I turn my shirt inside out?”. And remember when she wore a dress made out of raw beef to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards?
But actually her new position at Biden’s side makes a lot of sense. Gaga, 34, has always been a popstar with a social conscience, able to package up serious messages in a way that gets your attention and has widespread appeal. That meat dress was a protest against US government restrictions placed on the rights of gay soldiers. That doesn’t mean she can’t also sing outré songs about, for example, wanting to take a ride on your disco stick.
“Lady Gaga is like Madonna in that she knows how to reinvent herself,” says publicist Mark Borkowski. A Star is Born showed how she can do serious acting as much as fun New York style disco. “She has a huge and incredibly loyal fanbase and when you see her live it is powerful. Her relationship with Joe Biden speaks to the fact that people want authenticity from popstars now.” The Joe sweatshirt she wore to support him sold out and her inauguration outfit was a shrewd choice – by Schiaparelli, a brand with an American creative director.
This month she received a Free Speech Award from the Martin Luther King Jr Centre for non-violent social change and she denounced racism and white supremacy in her acceptance speech. Oh and there’s her vegan skincare line (is she the new Gwyneth Paltrow?). She has achieved all this while keeping up her day job, releasing a new album, Chromatica in May last year and acting in two upcoming films, one directed by Ridley Scott (name TBC), the other an action thriller called Bullet Train. And you thought you had done well in managing to work from home with weak wi-fi and do a 5k. If you feel horribly inferior, read the New York Times piece by the journalist whose ex-boyfriend is now going out with Gaga.
Presidents and popstars have always had special relationships — look at Marilyn Monroe and John F Kennedy. But the union between showbiz and politics is not straightforward. “Agents don’t want their acts to be too political as it can alienate people,” says Borkowski. “Lots of people voted for Trump, so some agents would prefer acts to be anodyne.” Taylor Swift exposes this in her Netflix documentary Miss Americana where she defies her management to speak out about Trump. They were afraid she would lose fans over it.
Gaga has known Biden for a long time. They are both Catholic, he worked with her to set up trauma centres for sexual assault survivors and as she sees it, she had a role in him running for President. She has said: “I remember when I was hanging out with him one day and I was like, ‘So you’re going to run for president, right?’ And we had a little talk and he did it. But I was like, ‘Listen, we need you, because we needed somebody that was going to bring us all together for this moment, this very important moment.” Thanks Gaga.
But what does she want? There is a clue on her new album where she sings a duet with her friend Elton John. Sine from Above is about how when she was younger she pursued “lightning” but now she wants to heal and find love. There was plenty of that in the air at the inauguration.
Circus showman Gerry Cottle dies with coronavirus aged 75
The Stage
Circus impresario Gerry Cottle has died aged 75 after contracting Covid-19.
A press statement released by Borkowski PR confirmed that Cottle died with coronavirus in Bath Hospital on January 13.
Cottle found fame in the 1970s with the Gerry Cottle Circus, and also presented the Moscow State Circus and Chinese State Circus and produced several high-profile circus productions across the world. He also pioneered animal-free circuses later on in his career.
The statement said: “Gerry Cottle was the man behind decades of big top circus acts and the UK first no-animal circus. […] Gerry saw Jack Hilton’s Circus at Earl’s Court in 1953 at the age of eight when his parents took him along to the show, and from that day on he was biding his time until, at 15, he ditched his O levels and ran away from his middle-class Surrey stockbroker upbringing to join the circus.”
It added: “Steeped in circus lore and history, Gerry faced the creative challenge that has preoccupied the latter part of his career – of reinventing circus for contemporary audiences, without animals. He started with a Rainbow Circus that saw his three daughters – the Cottle Sisters – in the ring for the first time, followed by a Rock’n’Roll Circus and a Shark Show.
“Employing top stunt acts, acrobats, magicians and clowns, Gerry set out on a Far East tour that proved immensely lucrative. Flush with cash, he returned home and became the impresario who presented both the Moscow Circus and the Chinese State Circus in Britain and the groundbreaking Circus of Horrors, further boosting his fortune.”
Cottle retired from the big-top circus scene in 2003 and bought cave and attractions complex Wookey Hole in Somerset.
“Gerry was a loving family man who is survived by his wife Betty and three daughters and a son, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren,” the statement added.
On Twitter, Cottle’s former publicist and friend Mark Borkowski paid tribute to Cottle as “the last of the great circus showmen” and said he would “never forget all the mad adventures [they] shared”.
https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/circus-showman-gerry-cottle-dies-of-coronavirus-aged-75
The winners and losers of Megxit: One year on from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s bombshell announcement, how the Duke’s old school pals and the Queen have lost out while Oprah and even Joe Biden have benefitted
Mail Online
Announced they were quitting as senior members of Royal Family on January 8.
Departure has caused heartache for the Queen, Prince Charles and Harry’s pals.
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey, author Omid Scobie and Joe Biden have benefitted.
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their bombshell announcement that they were quitting the Royal Family.
Posting on their now defunct Sussex Royal Instagram page, the couple revealed their plans to ‘step back as senior members’ of the Firm and work to become ‘financially independent’ while splitting their time between the UK and the US.
It sent shockwaves around the world, and the coining of the term ‘Megxit’ quickly followed – which became one of Collins Dictionary’s Words of the Year in 2020.
Twelve months later and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, now living in a $14 million mansion in California with their 18-month-old son Archie, have signed lucrative deals with the likes of Neflix and Spotify, and ‘don’t regret’ their decision to go it alone, according to a source.
But their departure has not been without heartache, with the Queen, 94, said to be ‘personally hurt’ by the manner in which it came about, and the Royal Family’s collective disappointment at not being able to watch young Archie grow up. Their acrimonious departure has also left painfully deep scars for Prince William which those in the know claim may never be healed.
In the coming months Harry was due to meet with his grandmother for a face-to-face 12-month review of the so-called ‘Megxit deal’, however the Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought a ban on non-essential travel, has scuppered those plans.
So, a year later, who are the winners and losers of Megxit? Here FEMAIL reveals the figures who have benefitted from their departure – and those who have been left behind.
WINNERS
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah was friends with Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39 (as well as Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland) before their move to the US, and attended their royal wedding in May 2018.
However they appear to have grown considerably closer over the past 12 months, with Oprah proving herself a generous friend, gifting story books to their son Archie and organising for her friend Tyler Perry to let them stay in his Beverly Hills mansion while they found their feet across the pond.
Reports surfaced last year that Oprah had helped advise Meghan and Harry on leaving their posts as senior members of the Royal Family, but she denied the claim.
In April 2019, the Duke of Sussex announced a partnership with media mogul Oprah as co-creators and executive producers of a new mental health documentary series for Apple.
The pair had reportedly worked on it for ‘several months’ during a number of ‘secret meetings in London’ – however it emerged this week that Covid-19 restrictions, Harry’s exit from the Royal Family and move to the US with Meghan Markle has ‘stalled’ production.
Last month Meghan cannily used her connections by gifting Oprah a bundle of coffee from a company she invested in to plug to her 19.2 million followers on Instagram.
Oprah captioned the post: ‘On the first day of Christmas my neighbor “M” sent to me… A basket of deliciousness! (Yes that M).’
It later emerged that the Duchess has decided to invest in Clevr Blends as she begins to build a portfolio of startup investments – her first such venture since officially stepping back from royal duties.
PR guru Mark Borkowski told MailOnline that Oprah’s endorsement was worth at least $1million and is probably the most valuable piece of free publicity in history…
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hired ex-Palace aids despite ‘vipers’ claim
Express
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have hired two more former Palace aides, despite claims they were surrounded by “vipers” and could trust very few people there.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have rehired Clara Loughran and Beth Herlihy on a freelance basis, both former Palace aides who lost their jobs when the couple stepped down as senior royals in March. The pair will be working on charity projects in the UK. Their appointment is in addition to the couple’s UK PR chief James Holt, who has been working with the Sussexes since they left the royal sphere.
Meghan and Harry have also hired a string of new people in the US too, including a head of communications, a press secretary and a chief of staff.
However, the hiring of these aides from their former life as royals will be surprising to some after claims the couple could not trust many people at the Palace.
In the 2020 book ‘Finding Freedom’, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand claimed Meghan and Harry thought their staff at Kensington Palace were leaking to the press.
There were reportedly just “a handful” of people they could trust, including their private secretary Samantha Cohen, PR hotshot Sara Latham, communications secretary Marnie Gaffney and James Holt, who they took on post-Megxit.
It was claimed that outside this core team of four people “no information was safe”, yet the Sussexes seem to trust two additional aides enough to rehire them.
The book read: “The couple tried to air these frustrations internally, but the conversations not only didn’t lead anywhere, the details of them would usually leak to one of the British newspapers.
“At this point, there was just a handful of people working at the Palace they could trust, including Sara, communications aide James Holt, communications secretary Marnie Gaffney (who was made a member of the Royal Victorian Orderby the Queen, an honour recognising personal service to the monarch or members of the Royal Family, during a June 2019 investiture), and their top aide, private secretary Samantha Cohen.
“Outside this core team, no information was safe.
“A friend of the couple referred to the old guard as ‘the vipers’.
“Meanwhile, an equally frustrated Palace staffer described the Sussexes’ team as the ‘squeaky third wheel’ of the Palace.”
While Ms Loughran was mentioned briefly in the book, she was not listed here as being one of the couple’s four most trusted aides, and Ms Herlihy was not mentioned at all.
New Zealand-born Ms Loughran is married to Harry’s former assistant communications secretary Nick Loughran and has worked for the prince since 2015, organising his official engagements and charitable initiatives.
She was also the woman pictured handing Meghan her flowers as she arrived at Windsor Castle on her wedding day.
Ms Loughran was made a Member of the Victorian Order, an honour given to those who have served the monarchy with dedication in a personal capacity, by the Queen on Harry’s recommendation.
Ms Herlihy worked as the Sussexes’ programme manager from September 2018.
She also worked alongside Harry for more than four years as an events coordinator at the Royal Foundation, a charity which was started by Harry, William and Kate.
The women, both in their thirties, were among 15 staff members who lost their jobs after Meghan and Harry quit last year.
After they were let go, they formed Herlihy Loughran, which describes itself as an “advisory partnership” linking “influential people” and organisations to good causes.
The Duke and Duchess of Susex are among their first clients.
Meanwhile, in the US, Meghan and Harry have appointed Toya Holness as their press secretary and Catherine St Laurent as their chief of staff and executive director of Archewell.
According to the Daily Mail, the couple’s bill for expanding their team could easily top £1million a year, not even including personal assistants, staff working on their production and podcast ventures, household employees and private security.
Industry experts said the wage for the three US appointments alone was unlikely to be less than £650,000 a year plus benefits.
PR expert Mark Borkowski said: “There’s clearly a big operation being set up there.
“What will be interesting to see is whether these people challenge the way [the couple] go about things.
“The focus on them is pretty relentless and they clearly want to change the narrative around them now they are trying to launch themselves in America.”
‘I am my mother’s son’: Harry uses a photo of Diana and vows to ‘unleash the power of compassion’ with Meghan on new website for foundation that reveals partnerships with Stanford ‘centre for altruism research’ and ‘humane technology’ charity
Mail Online
Duke and Duchess of Sussex today set out goal to ‘build a better world’ in open letter on their updated website.
Couple use pictures of Harry as a boy with Princess Diana and one of Meghan as a girl with her mother Doria.
They said in a joint statement on Archewell.com website: ‘I am my mother’s son. And I am our son’s mother’.
Couple also announced partnerships between their foundation and several tech and research-focused groups.
Site also plugs their podcasting deal with Spotify said to be worth £30m and their £100m Netflix tie-up.
Prince Harry used a photograph of his late mother Princess Diana and described himself as his ‘mother’s son’ as he and Meghan Markle today launched the website of their non-profit organisation Archewell.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex set out their goal to ‘build a better world’ in an open letter on the newly-updated website this afternoon, saying they wanted to ‘unleash the power of compassion’.
But the site also prominently plugs the couple’s commercial ventures – Archewell Audio, the brand they have chosen for their £30m podcasting deal with Spotify, and Archewell Productions, their chosen name for their Netflix production tie-up said to be worth as much as £100m.
The royal couple used two photographs on the new homepage of Archewell.com – one of Harry as a boy with Diana, taken at Highgrove in July 1986, and one of Meghan as a girl with her mother, Doria Ragland.
Harry and Meghan said in a joint statement on the website: ‘I am my mother’s son. And I am our son’s mother.’ However there was no mention or photo of Harry’s father Prince Charles.
The couple wrote that the name of their organisation is a mixture of the Greek word ‘Arche’, meaning ‘source of action’, and the word ‘Well’, defined as ‘a plentiful source or supply; a place we go to dig deep’.
They also announced partnerships between their foundation and several tech and research-focused groups.
Harry and Meghan wrote: ‘At Archewell, we unleash the power of compassion to drive systemic cultural change.
‘We do this through our non-profit work within Archewell Foundation 501(c)(3), in addition to creative activations through the business verticals of audio and production.’
The website features the picture of Diana with Harry on her shoulders, while in another monochrome image a young Meghan stands as her mother Doria crouches down to hug her daughter.
In a joint statement, called a ‘letter for 2021’ which overlays the pictures, the couple say: ‘I am my mother’s son. And I am our son’s mother. Together we bring you Archewell. We believe in the best of humanity.
‘Because we have seen the best of humanity. We have experienced compassion and kindness, From our mothers and strangers alike. In the face of fear, struggle and pain, it can be easy to lose sight of this.
‘Together, we can choose courage, healing, and connection. Together, we can choose to put compassion in action. We invite you to join us. As we work to build a better world. One act of compassion at a time.’
Among the five organisations Harry and Meghan said they have chosen to support include the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, which they say is investigating techniques for ‘developing compassion and promoting altruism within individuals and society’.
Another is the Center for Humane Technology in San Francisco led by former Google ‘design ethicist’ Tristan Harris which aims to ‘create the conditions for safer, more compassionate online communities’.
A third is the Loveland Foundation, which is an organisation providing affordable and accessible mental health resources to black women and girls.
Archewell is also supporting the Center for Critical Internet Inquiry at the University of California in Los Angeles, which aims to champion racial and economic justice in the technology world.
The final organisation is chef José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen, which is building four community relief centres in regions affected by hunger, starting in Dominica and Puerto Rico.
Since stepping down as senior royals in March and moving to the US, Harry and Meghan have been working towards this moment to officially launch, albeit softly, the website and the philosophy behind their organisation Archewell.
Their decision to leave was based as much about financial as personal freedom and the huge sums – thought to be well over £100million – they have earned from deals with Spotify and Netflix, gives them the capital to pursue their new lifestyle and public goals.
The announcement follows their first Spotify podcast on Tuesday which saw their son Archie make his broadcast debut.
Commentators have already speculated that Harry and Meghan will have to draw in large audiences if they are to justify the lucrative contract their production company Archewell Audio signed.
Archewell’s press secretary said today: ‘Founded earlier this year by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archewell uplifts communities through non-profit partnerships and creative activations.
‘It’s a place where compassion matters, communities gather, and storytelling is the engine.
‘The website has been updated to reflect the work Archewell has undertaken throughout 2020 and to create a place for people and communities around the world to share their stories.’
The updated website is Harry and Meghan’s final act of a year which has seen the royal family endure some of their most turbulent problems in recent history – with the messy Megxit saga at the forefront of the issues.
The Duke and Duchess sparked a major royal crisis in January with a bombshell statement saying they intended to stop being senior royals, earn their own money and still support the Queen.
But the dual role was unworkable. The Queen held a summit at Sandringham to deal with the crisis and the outcome was a hard Megxit.
At the end of March, less than two years after they wed, Harry and Meghan quit as working royals completely and stopped using their HRH styles.
They have since settled into a new life in Montecito in California, bought an £11 million house, secured lucrative multimillion-pound deals with Netflix and Spotify, volunteered during the Covid-19 crisis and been working on their Archewell foundation.
Meghan gave an impassioned black lives matter speech to her old high school about the death of George Floyd in the US. But controversy has not been far away.
Harry was criticised for political interference after he urged people in the US to ‘reject hate speech’ and vote in the presidential election.
The duke and duchess were also accused of staging a publicity stunt after they invited a fashion photographer to take pictures of them at a national cemetery in LA to mark Remembrance Sunday.
In August, a new biography, Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, revisited the rift between Harry and William.
The book said Harry was angered by what he perceived as his brother’s ‘snobbish’ attitude to Meghan, and Kate was accused of not reaching out to Meghan and of snubbing her at the Sussexes’ final public engagement at Westminster Abbey.
The Sussexes’ son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor celebrated his first birthday, with Meghan reading the boisterous youngster the children’s book Duck! Rabbit! in a video for Save the Children UK.
But the couple also experienced heartache, with Meghan revealing in an article in November that she had suffered a miscarriage in the summer, writing: ‘I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.’
Earlier this week, Harry and Meghan released their debut Spotify podcast on Tuesday which saw them chat about ‘the power of connection’, ’empathy’ and ‘collective mental health’…
They have also appointed a press secretary. Toya Holness has worked for the celebrity William Morris Endeavor agency. A ‘stellar’ footballer who played for her university team in California, she is described by friends as ‘bold and outgoing’.
The Sussexes had already poached another major figure, Catherine St Laurent, as their chief of staff. She is also the executive director of Archewell, which is expected to launch in the new year after months of delays.
Miss St Laurent had been responsible for Melinda Gates’s profile and communications activities at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Industry experts said the wage bill for the three US appointments alone was unlikely to be any less than £650,000-a-year plus benefits.
PR expert Mark Borkowski said the extent of the new appointments proved the ‘global’ ambitions of the couple.
‘There’s clearly a big operation being set up there. What will be interesting to see is whether these [new] people challenge the way [the couple] go about things,’ he said.
‘The focus on them is pretty relentless and they clearly want to change the established narrative around them now they are trying to launch themselves in America.’
Archie’s first podcast: Meghan and Harry feature 19-month-old son in star-studded first Spotify episode and coax him into wishing listeners a Happy New Year in his American accent
Mail Online
Couple will produce and host own shows, starting with holiday special today supported by famous friends.
Their son Archie is invited on to the end of the 33-minute show where he says ‘Happy New Year’ in US accent.
Archewell Audio guests include Elton John, James Corden, Stacey Abrams, Brené Brown and Deepak Chopra.
Couple’s £30m ($40m) contract with Spotify seen as step towards their ‘billion-dollar brand’ after Netflix deal.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have featured their 19-month-old son Archie in their first Spotify podcast and got him to say his first four words in public – wishing people a ‘Happy New Year’ in his American accent and saying it was ‘fun’ to speak into a microphone.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex today released their first podcast, calling on famous friends including Sir Elton John, Brené Brown, Deepak Chopra, Stacey Abrams and James Corden to reflect on 2020 and their hopes for 2021 with the couple signing off with the words: ‘Love always wins’.
The couple’s first 33-minute show as part of the deal with the streaming giant worth an estimated £30million ($40million) is a ‘holiday special’ that concludes with the gospel song This Little Light of Mine, which was played at the end of their wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018, before Archie is introduced.
Harry and Meghan, who have fiercely defended Archie’s privacy since his birth in May 2019 and filed a lawsuit this year to fight to protect it, encourage their son to talk into the microphone, with Harry telling him: ‘You can speak into it.’ Meghan also asks: ‘Archie, is it fun?’
Archie then replies: ‘Fun.’ Harry then says: ‘After me, ready? Happy.’ Archie says: ‘Happy.’ Meghan and Harry both then say ‘New’, and Archie says: ‘New Year’ – prompting laughter from both of his parents.
Meghan also quotes Martin Luther King as she tells listeners that: ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that’.
And in an apparent nod to the stormy 2020 the couple have had after quitting as frontline royals and moving to Los Angeles via Vancouver, Meghan says: ‘From us I’ll say no matter what life throws at you guys, trust us when we say, love wins.’
But some social media observers questioned the couple’s decision to feature their son in their multi-million pound podcast, with one saying: ‘I hope others will join me in respecting the wishes of these people and decide not to invade their privacy by listening to it.’
Reacting to the right-on tone of their podcast and its interviews, another added: ‘Someone please pass the sick bucket.’
The Sussexes called on many of their most famous friends to appear on their first Archewell Audio podcast, which they promise will ‘uplift and entertain audiences around the world’. Meghan said they asked people who ‘inspire us’ to appear on the podcast and give ‘their thoughts on what they learned from 2020’.
Sir Elton was a friend of Harry’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales and has regularly supported her son over the years, while Corden was a guest at Harry and Meghan’s wedding and was asked by the duke to perform at the couple’s evening celebration.
Other guests include Democrat activist Stacey Abrams, tennis star Naomi Osaka, American filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry, wellness icon Deepak Chopra and teenage activist Christina Adane from London, who campaigns on food issues.
Experts have called the couple’s Spotify tie-up as another big step towards building what experts believe could become a $1billion business empire in the US after a super-deal with Netflix to make documentaries about their pet projects.
Harry and Meghan began their show by paying tribute to healthcare and frontline workers for their ‘sacrifices’ and remembered those who have lived through ‘uncertainty and unthinkable loss’ during the coronavirus pandemic.
The couple have signed a lucrative deal with Spotify to host and produce podcasts, estimated to be worth up to £30million.
The working partnership comes a few months after the couple signed a Netflix deal, to produce a range of programmes and series, rumoured to be worth more than £100 million.
Harry told listeners: ‘We’re glad you’re here. As we all know, it’s been a year. And we really want to honour the compassion and kindness that has helped so many people get through it’.
While Meghan added: ‘And at the same time, to honour those who have experienced uncertainty and unthinkable loss. Our thoughts have been with you, especially during this holiday season.’
The duke continued: ‘And in too many instances people weren’t able to be at a loved one’s side or say goodbye as they would have wished’, and his wife said: ‘We also want to thank healthcare workers, frontline service workers, and so many others for their sacrifices.’
Harry said in the podcast: ‘As we come to the end of this year and look to the future… let’s hold onto the lessons we’ve learned about how important it is to take care of one another, and how meaningful our connections are… even when they’re physically impossible.’
The podcast ends with the couple broadcasting the gospel song This Little Light of Mine which was played at the end of their wedding.
Meghan said: ‘From us I’ll say no matter what life throws at you guys, trust us when we say, love wins.’
She added: ‘This Little Light of Mine played at the very end of our wedding… while we were walking down the steps of the church.’
Quoting Martin Luther King she went on to say: ‘It was the music that we wanted playing when we started our lives together. Because as we all know, ‘darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that…’
Harry added: ‘The message of this song is one we hold so dearly. It’s about using the power we each have within us to make this world a better place.’
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry signed a lucrative podcast deal with Spotify worth up to £30million two weeks ago as they took another big step towards building what experts believe could become a $1billion business empire in the US.
The couple will produce and host their own shows as part of the newly formed Archewell Audio – starting with the ‘holiday special’.
Archie stole the show an, during the final moments of the broadcast, Harry says, in an apparent reference to the microphone in front of his son, ‘you can speak into it’ while Meghan asks ‘Archie is it fun?’ and her son replies ‘fun’.
It is thought Archie has spent more than a year living in North America, joining his parents when they had an extended break towards the end of 2019 in Canada, before they made the permanent move to California in March.
With his mother and grandmother Doria Ragland, both Americans, it is likely he is picking up their accent which will be reinforced if he attends a local playgroup.
Harry and Meghan had asked their guests who included activists, campaigners and famous friends like James Corden to record audio diaries looking back on the year.
Sir Elton, when asked about his hopes for the future, said: ‘I hope after this awful pandemic has passed, and we can go back to some sort of normality, that we have become better people – and I hope for healing.
‘It’s been an awful time for people. People have lost loved ones, people have lost their businesses, they’ve lost work. It’s been an awful time for people, so I hope that we can heal in 2021.’
The duke and duchess began their show by paying tribute to healthcare and frontline workers for their ‘sacrifices’ and remembered those who have lived through ‘uncertainty and unthinkable loss’ during the coronavirus pandemic.
The couple have signed a lucrative deal with Spotify to host and produce podcasts, estimated to be worth around 25 million US dollars (£18 million) and the development comes a few months after their Netflix deal, rumoured to be worth more than £100 million.
In his audio diary for Meghan and Harry’s podcast Sir Elton John said: ‘Well, we were in the middle of a tour and then Covid started and we came back to England in May, and it was very strange because we were going full pelt, and then all of a sudden, we ground to a halt.
‘I’m 73 years old, and I’m a semi-diabetic so I’m in a risky area there, I have an underlying condition as they say. I’ve seen my immediate family – Zachary, Elijah and David – all the time.
‘But my relatives, who I love, haven’t been able to see much of them at all, and I’ve only stayed connected with them by phone, of course, and by Zoom.’
The singer said as a recovering alcoholic being able to attend virtual AA meetings via video calls has been a ‘lifesaver’.
Other podcast guests, during the 34-minute show, included activist and tennis star Naomi Osaka, American filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry, wellness icon Deepak Chopra and teenage activist Christina Adane, from London – who campaigns on food issues.
Corden, who was a guest at Harry and Meghan’s wedding and was asked by the duke to perform at the couple’s evening celebration, said he has been happy spending extra time during the pandemic with his family.
The actor, who hosts The Late Late Show on the American television network CBS, said: ‘I think what I’ve learned about myself is I really don’t have Fomo (fear of missing out). I’m very happy, staying in I mean. I could lose a day just staring at the corner of a rug. That’s what I’ve realised, and I’ve been ok with that.
‘I think being able to spend so much time with my children, I felt like my relationship with them has changed, being around them more, you know, the five of us in our house has really brought quite a lot of joy to me.’
Before the appearance of Archie, the couple broadcast the gospel song This Little Light Of Mine, which was played at the end of their wedding.
Quoting Martin Luther King, Meghan said ‘It was the music that we wanted playing when we started our lives together. Because as we all know, ‘darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that…”
On December 18, Meghan settled a privacy claim against a photo agency without winning a penny. The Duchess had told the High Court a photo of her and her one-year-old son Archie had breached his privacy.
Neither Archie’s face nor any other part of his body could be seen because he was wrapped up and facing away from the lens. Los Angeles agency Splash claimed ‘nothing unlawful happened’ because it is legal to take photographs in public parks in Canada.
The case did not reach trial because the UK arm of Splash is in administration. However the administrators of Splash UK undertook that, should it come out of administration, Splash UK will not take any photographs of the duke and duchess or their son in the future.
Spotify has not revealed what the contract is worth, but the streaming service agreed a £75m ($100m) deal with US comedian Joe Rogan in May. The Mirror reported the Sussexes would be paid £30million – other sources put it closer to £20million.
The Sussexes’ agreement comes just months after the royals agreed a £100million partnership with Netflix and days after Meghan invested in a $28-per-pack oat-milk ‘superlatte’ business later promoted for free by her LA neighbour Oprah Winfrey.
A ‘well placed’ royal source told the Mirror: ‘The initial multi year deal is worth in excess of £30 million with a view to extending the deal within six months.
‘Meghan was the driving force behind the deal. She was incredible in the meetings with executives and had a clear vision of what they as a couple have to offer. Spotify’s whole business plan is to acquire the world’s most talked about celebrities in one place and Harry and Meghan fit the bill entirely. It’s a win win scenario.’
Earlier this year, Michelle Obama launched The Michelle Obama Podcast for an undisclosed fee with Spotify and had her husband Barack on as one of her first guests.
A trailer clip of Archewell Audio was released yesterday, accompanied by a short description which reads: ‘Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, present Archewell Audio. Coming soon to Spotify.’
The slickly-produced and heavily-scripted Spotify trailer featuring the Sussexes opens with Harry saying to his wife: ‘Ladies first’ before his Meghan says: ‘No you say it first because I think it sounds really nice with your accent’.
The Duke of Sussex then says: ‘Archewell Audio’ and they say together: ‘Let’s do it’.
Prince Harry then says: ‘Hi guys, I’m Harry’ before Meghan says: ‘And I’m Meghan’, with both choosing not to use their titles.
Meghan then says: ‘One of the things my husband and I have always talked about is our passion for meeting people and hearing their stories. And no matter what the story they usually offer an understanding of where someone else is coming from. And in some way, remind you of a story about yourself’.
Harry continues: ‘And that is what this story is all about. To bring forward different perspectives and voices that perhaps you haven’t heard before. And find our common ground. Because when that happens change really is possible’.
The Duchess of Sussex says that the podcasts will be about ‘finding kindness and compassion, something we saw in some many places this year’.
She adds: ‘It will underlie everything you here on Archewell Audio – so that’s what we’re up to’.
Their first show will be a ‘holiday special’ this month will ‘feature stories of hope and compassion from inspirational guests in celebration of the new year.’
Harry and Meghan both mimic church bells before saying: ‘We can’t wait to share it with you and will be out later this month’.
Meghan says: ‘We’re talking to some amazing people who will share their memories that have helped shaped this year. As we know this has been a difficult one for everyone’.
Touching on the pandemic Harry says: ‘So many people have suffered so much pain this year, experiencing loss and a huge amount of uncertainty but it feels worth mentioning that 2020 has connected us in ways we could never have imagined. Through endless acts of compassion and kindness’.
Plugging the podcast Harry says: ‘So here’s what you need to do, tap follow right now. Go ahead, go on. Tap, follow and that way you won’t miss out and you’ll be able to hear new shows on Archewell Audio as soon as they drop’.
Finishing the trailer Meghan says: ‘We’re so excited. So follow and listen for free only on Spotify. We’ll meet you back here soon’.
Harry signs off with an American-sounding ‘happy holidays’ while Meghan ends with a British ‘cheers’.
The couple said in a statement today: ‘What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction.
‘With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.’
The Sussexes stopped royal duties in January this year, and have been criticised for using their newly independent status to sign multi-million pound deals while retaining their official titles.
The Sussexes’ agreed a £100million partnership with Netflix.
This was followed by the revelation earlier this week that Meghan had invested in a new range of oat milk vegan ‘superlattes’, which sell for £21 ($28) per pack.
Harry, 36, and former Suits actress Meghan, 39, are also set to earn as much as £770,000 ($1m) for delivering online talks – on condition of an upfront fee and the ability to pick any moderators.
The Duke spoke at a J P Morgan event in Miami earlier this year where he received a reported six-figure sum.
Royal biography Angela Levin has branded Harry ‘disloyal’ for taking money from Netflix when it was ‘ridiculing’ his family in popular series The Crown.
The author Penny Junor warned that the couple would find it ‘very difficult’ to combine being a member of the royal family with pursuing commercial activity, because ‘there are bear traps everywhere’.
‘Inevitably, because of who they are, there will always be a market for them,’ she said. ‘It’s not even because they’re Harry and Megan, it’s because they are HRHs.
‘That adds a huge number of noughts to the end of any deal that they do. That’s not their fault. It just highlights how difficult it is to square up being a member of the royal family but earning a living outside it.’
Harry and Meghan no longer use their HRH styles, but they are still members of the royal family despite stepping back from official duties and retain the titles.
Dawn Ostroff, Spotify’s chief content and advertising business officer, said: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may live in California but the power of their voices rests in their status as citizens of the world.
‘That they are embracing the extraordinary capacity of podcasts on Spotify while also seeking to elevate underrepresented voices is a testament to their appreciation for the potential of audio storytelling.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been embraced by the celebrity circuit after ditching royal duties in March and signed a multi-million-pound deal with Netflix to produce content that provides ‘hope and inspiration’.
One of their latest ventures was a new brand of vegan coffees, which Oprah Winfrey promoted to her 19.2million Instagram followers in a huge favour to her friend.
Ms Markle’s coffee investment is the first since she and Harry emigrated to pursue a private life and seek ‘financial independence’ from the royal family in California – but is still likely to ‘raise eyebrows’ at the palace, experts claim.
The record for an advertising Instagram post was $500,000, paid to Kim Kardashian in 2015, but Mr Borkowski said Oprah’s social media video was ‘a million buck post in free publicity’ at least.
Oprah, America’s biggest TV star worth $2.6bn, described the beverage on Instagram as her ‘new drink of choice’. While its maker, Californian start-up Clevr Blends, claims it brings all kinds of health benefits, is ethical, environmentally friendly and a brand that is ‘dedicated to giving a s**t’.
Its packaging claims it boosts immunity, brain health and digestion while reducing stress and improving focus.
Meghan made her first public appearance since revealing three weeks ago that she suffered a miscarriage in July.
In a video message for US news channel CNN from the gardens of her mansion, she saluted the ‘quiet heroes’ of the coronavirus pandemic, praising key workers and those who volunteer at food banks. Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, have helped several charities to distribute food in Los Angeles.
Forbes said the duchess intends to invest in more women-led firms as she ‘has made gender equality one of her core causes’.
Clevr Blends has a British CEO, Hannah Mendoza, who co-founded the firm with Roger Coppola, the only man on the team.
In a statement, Meghan, who did not reveal the size of her stake, said it was to support ‘a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritises building community alongside her business’.
She added: ‘I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and has a holistic approach to wellness.’
The recent deals will help the Sussexes in their pledge to become ‘financially independent’ from the royal family – following their decision to step back from frontline royal duties in January this year.
The couple have since bought a sprawling nine-bedroom and 16-bathroom mansion in upscale Santa Barbara, known as ‘The Chateau’ for $14.65million, making them neighbours with celebrities including Oprah Winfrey.
The pair are thought to have purchased the sprawling property, which sits on 5.4 acres of land, from a Russian businessman with a $9.5million mortgage after the price was knocked down by more than $10million.
At typical interest rates provided by Bank of America, the couple would have to pay $40,000 a month or $480,000 a year in order to repay the mortgage over 30 years.
Annual property tax is estimated at $68,000 and the costs of security and utilities for the huge mansion will also come with hefty bills.
According to cost-of-living database Numbeo, utility bills for a 900 sq ft home in Santa Barbara County are typically around $200 per month.
Harry and Meghan’s mansion is more than 10 times larger, suggesting a possible bill of at least $2,000 per month or $24,000 per year.
Alongside agreeing to pay back £2.4million for tax-payer funded renovations to Frogmore Cottage, where the pair lived before moving to America, the couple earlier this year agreed to pay for the cost of their security personally.
The security bill could cost them £4million a year.
They also face staff costs.
Christopher Baker, who runs a firm that supplies domestic staff in California, told the Hollywood Reporter in 2015 that a staff for A-list celebrities can cost $200,000 to $300,000 per year, or even more.
Team Megxit reunited: Two Palace aides who lost jobs in March are back on Sussexes’ payroll in couple’s hiring spree
Mail Online
EXCLUSIVE: Duke and Duchess of Sussex have rehired two former palace aides
They have employed ex-palace staff Clara Loughran and Beth Herlihy on a freelance basis
The pair, both in their 30s, lost their jobs in March when Harry and Meghan moved to North America.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have boosted their rapidly expanding stable of staff by rehiring two palace aides who lost their jobs when the royal couple left the UK.
In recent months Harry and Meghan have made a series of key appointments to head their forthcoming non-profit foundation, Archewell, as well as starting their own in-house PR outfit.
Now, it can be revealed, they have employed ex-palace staff Clara Loughran and Beth Herlihy on a freelance basis to work on charity projects in the UK.
The pair, both in their 30s, lost their jobs in March when Harry and Meghan moved to North America. Their appointment is in addition to the couple’s UK PR chief, James Holt.
With a string of new employees in the US as well, including a head of communications, a press secretary and a chief of staff, industry experts say the bill for their couple’s team so far could easily top £1million a year.
This does not include PAs, staff working on their production and podcast ventures, household employees and private security.
New Zealand-born Mrs Loughran, who is married to Harry’s ex-assistant communications secretary, Nick Loughran, had worked for the prince since 2015, organising his official engagements and charitable initiatives. She was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order – an honour given to those who have served the monarchy with dedication in a personal capacity – by the Queen, on Harry’s recommendation.
Miss Herlihy worked as the Sussexes programme manager from September 2018. She had also worked alongside Harry for more than four years as an events co-ordinator at the Royal Foundation, started by Harry with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. She and Mrs Loughran were among 13 plus tax-payer-funded employees who lost their jobs in March when Harry and Meghan quit royal duties.
Recently they formed Herlihy Loughran, which describes itself as an ‘advisory partnership’ that links ‘influential people’ and organisations to good causes.
Harry and Meghan are among their first clients, sources confirmed. They have been employed in addition to their existing UK PR chief Mr Holt, pictured inset.
Last month it was announced that the Sussexes had snapped up Christine Weil Schirmer, 42, former head of communications at internet site Pinterest, to lead their PR assault on the US.
The mother-of-one attended the same US university as Meghan, Northwestern.
They have also appointed a press secretary. Toya Holness has worked for the celebrity William Morris Endeavor agency. A ‘stellar’ footballer who played for her university team in California, she is described by friends as ‘bold and outgoing’. The Sussexes had already poached another major figure, Catherine St Laurent, as their chief of staff. She is also the executive director of Archewell, which is expected to launch in the new year after months of delays.
Miss St Laurent had been responsible for Melinda Gates’ profile and communications activities at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Industry experts said the wage bill for the three US appointments alone was unlikely to be any less than £650,000-a-year plus benefits.
PR expert Mark Borkowski said the extent of the new appointments proved the ‘global’ ambitions of the couple.
‘There’s clearly a big operation being set up there. What will be interesting to see is whether these [new] people challenge the way [the couple] go about things,’ he said.
‘The focus on them is pretty relentless and they clearly want to change the established narrative around them now they are trying to launch themselves in America.’
It pays to have good friends! Oprah Winfrey’s Instagram post promoting Duchess of Sussex’s coffee was ‘a million dollar post in free publicity’ putting Meghan and Harry on path to building a BILLION dollar brand
Mail Online
Oprah Winfrey’s decision to promote Meghan Markle’s new range of vegan coffee to her 19.2million Instagram followers was worth at least $1million and is probably the most valuable piece of free publicity in history, experts told MailOnline today.
PR guru Mark Borkowski told MailOnline the $28-per-pack oat-milk ‘superlattes’ are the first ‘baby steps’ towards Meghan and Harry building a billion dollar brand for themselves in the US.
It came as Meghan and Harry signed an exclusive deal with Spotify for to ‘host and produce podcasts that build community through shared experience, narratives, and values.’ It is not known how much the contract is worth but the streaming service agreed a $100m deal with comedian Joe Rogan in May.
Ms Markle’s coffee investment is the first since she and Harry emigrated to pursue a private life and seek ‘financial independence’ from the royal family in California – but is still likely to ‘raise eyebrows’ at the palace, experts claim.
The record for an advertising Instagram post was $500,000, paid to Kim Kardashian in 2015, but Mr Borkowski said Oprah’s social media video was ‘a million buck post in free publicity’ at least.
He said: ‘Having Oprah Winfrey endorse your product is the golden ticket in global advertising for any company. Oprah is also very choosy about what she promotes and for a new company to launch a new product, reaching that many people, would cost millions of dollars – and the best thing for Meghan is that in this case many people who saw it won’t feel like they are being sold something at all. Having a friend like Oprah is something money can’t buy and it will lead to the product flying off the shelves’.
Oprah, America’s biggest TV star worth $2.6bn, described the beverage on Instagram as her ‘new drink of choice’. While its maker, Californian start-up Clevr Blends, claims it brings all kinds of health benefits, is ethical, environmentally friendly and a brand that is ‘dedicated to giving a s**t’. Its packaging claims it boosts immunity, brain health and digestion while reducing stress and improving focus.
Elton John’s former publicist Gary Farrow, who represents many UK stars, has warned that despite the valuable free publicity, the Sussexes could eventually be hit with a gigantic tax bill because the authorities in the US and UK are looking to claw back some of the huge amounts of cash made by stars using the ‘Wild West’ of online influencing.
Brand experts have said that getting Oprah to promote a product is the ‘golden ticket’ for any advertiser, because she is ‘picky’ about what she promotes and has huge political influence in the US.
Mr Borkowski said that the Sussexes have been ‘clever’ in the way they are focussing on products that reflect their own passions for the environment, education and healthy living.
He said: ‘This coffee brand is the first baby steps of building their global brand. They are still in the foothills – but by focussing on America they are concentrating on the largest and most affluent advertising market in the world. And if they can become a distinct brand with authenticity, say become America’s answer to Sir David Attenborough on the environment, and build a media presence with Netflix, they will be well on the way to becoming a billion dollar brand’.
Meghan has invested in the women-led firm based in Montecito, where she, Prince Harry and their 19-month-old son Archie now live in an £11million mansion. It is understood Meghan contacted the firm, which donates 1 per cent of revenue to ‘food justice’ organisations, after trying its product. It sells the instant lattes in three other flavours – matcha, chai and coffee – at £21 for 14 servings.
PR expert Gary Farrow said: ‘I advise my clients to set aside 50 per cent of anything they make from these Instagram posts. Oprah’s post will be worth at least $500,000 and you can be sure that the tax man will be looking at it’.
He added: ‘It may be Meghan’s project but she is only able to do it because of Harry’s royal name. He’s gone full LA and lost touch with his British subjects. Does he think that people here can afford £21 for some coffee in the middle of a pandemic with 3.1million unemployed? It’s a royal p***take and the Queen should take away their titles’.
Royal commentator and former Editor of International Who’s Who, Richard Fitzwilliams said the investment may cause friction with the palace.
He told MailOnline: ‘Endorsements of this kind by members of the royal family do raise eyebrows and with good reason. Would Harry, who is 6th in line to the throne do this? It would be inappropriate.
‘The Sussexes are independent financially after their hugely lucrative Netflix deal. When the Sandringham Agreement is reassessed however, I suspect this sort of endorsement of a commercial product will be discouraged. However they are, of course, no longer senior working royals and can do more or less what they like as publicising this investment clearly shows’.
Miss Winfrey, a guest at the royal couple’s wedding, wrote how ‘On the first day of Christmas my neighbour M sent to me… a basket of deliciousness!’ In case her 20million followers had difficulty working it out, she added ‘Yes, that M’ followed by a crown emoji.
Along with a further plug, Miss Winfrey, 66, posted a video of her making a mug of turmeric-flavoured latte by adding water, declaring: ‘It’s delicious.’ Fans were left unaware of the duchess’s involvement with Clevr Blends, later revealed by Forbes website.
Meghan, meanwhile, was making her first public appearance since revealing three weeks ago that she suffered a miscarriage in July.
In a video message for US news channel CNN from the gardens of her mansion, she saluted the ‘quiet heroes’ of the coronavirus pandemic, praising key workers and those who volunteer at food banks. Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, have helped several charities to distribute food in Los Angeles.
Forbes said the duchess intends to invest in more women-led firms as she ‘has made gender equality one of her core causes’.
Clevr Blends has a British CEO, Hannah Mendoza, who co-founded the firm with Roger Coppola, the only man on the team.
In a statement, Meghan, who did not reveal the size of her stake, said it was to support ‘a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritises building community alongside her business’.
She added: ‘I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and has a holistic approach to wellness.’
Miss Mendoza said: ‘Entrepreneurs need funding, but they also need advisers who care deeply about what they are building. I’m grateful to have found both in the Duchess of Sussex.’
The Sussexes will be expected to uphold their promise not to bring the Queen into disrepute through their deals. Buckingham Palace declined to comment but one insider said Meghan’s link-up with Miss Winfrey, without making clear her involvement with the product, was ‘not particularly well advised’.
Harry and Meghan already have a multi-million deal with Netflix.
In October Mendoza posted a photo of herself in hiking gear, beaming besides a giant mushroom growing from a tree trunk.
‘Hannah having one of those mushroom-awe moments (a common theme on the Clevr team),’ she wrote.
‘Mushrooms should make you believe in magic – they are ancient organisms that talk to each other, exist on every inch of the globe, and heal our bodies in unthinkable ways.
‘Did you know that the largest living thing ON EARTH is a mycelium network!? Aka a mushroom!
In November, Mendoza showed a photo from one of their suppliers in Santa Barbara, describing Sweet Mountain Top farm as ‘a badass team of female farmers, up on a mountain, growing flowers & medicinal herbs in the clouds.’
Markle is said to have contacted the company after sampling their products for herself in 2017.
Mendoza confirmed Markle’s investment, saying: ‘Entrepreneurs need funding, but they also need advisers who care deeply about what they are building.
‘I’m grateful to have found both in the Duchess of Sussex.
‘Her passion for what we’re creating is palpable, and I couldn’t imagine a more aligned partnership.
‘We’re excited for the road ahead.’
Ronn Torossian, CEO of NYC based 5WPR, a leading PR agency said the Duchess’s investment is worth ‘much more than a cheque’ as the product is now likely to become a ‘household name’.
Jasmine Birtles, Founder of MoneyMagpie.com added that the Duchess’s involvement would be worth ‘millions’ in publicity and that she may have struck a good deal thanks to her star power.
Ronn explained: ‘Add the Duchess of Sussex to the list of high-profile investors in start-up companies. The old saying of all you need is a dollar and a dream often rings true for investors in start-up companies, as success is tremendously difficult to come by in the startup world,’ he said.
‘Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have unlimited earning power via endorsement deals, partnerships and more. Investing in start-ups is just one way they seek to become uber-wealthy. It makes sense as part of a larger strategy in terms of a total brand portfolio.
‘Just as Jay-Z & Beyonce, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have invested in companies it makes complete sense for the Duchess of Sussex also to invest. The company, Clevr also appears to be in line with her social justice platform, with pronouncements that the brand has also committed donating 1 per cent of revenue to organizations fighting for food justice in the U.S., money that is currently going to Santa Barbara’s El Centro SB, a mutual aid and community organization.’
‘Everything about this investment is aligned with the Duchess’s personal brand, which has real potential to resonate with consumers. Her authenticity and endorsement of the product bring an invaluable currency that very few startup consumer brands will ever experience. I see a very promising future for Clevr coffee with potential earnings into the millions,’ he added.
Jasmine Birtles, Founder of MoneyMagpie.com added to FEMAIL that no matter the amount Meghan’s investment in the company her involvement will be worth millions in free publicity.
She added that she wouldn’t be surprised if Meghan got a good deal from the company because of her star-power.
‘A lot of celebrities have invested very successfully in start-ups, Ashton Kutcher has done some really amazing investments. He was an early investor in Skype, AirBnB and Uber. There are some actors who have done very nicely, and others who have lost their shirt, Paris Hilton invested in some cryptocurrency, and lost money. There are lots of these start ups that happen, some do amazingly well and some just drop like a stone very quickly
‘Investing in start ups is a very risky proposition for celebs or ordinary people, it’s something you should be very cautious about, only put in money you can afford to lose.
‘What often does happen is neighbours, friends, family members decide to set up a business and people think it’s going to be great.
‘People can get in at the ground level and I’ve done that, and lost money doing it. I think when it’s friend or family you need to be extra cautious and your natural inclination is to help – but you need to be extra sure it’s got legs, and do extra due diligence. It can cause a lot of bad feeling if something goes wrong – just need to be careful. Having said that, if you’d put £100 in Google as a start-up you’d be a millionaire now.
‘I definitely I suspect that, if Meghan’s got any sense she would have put it to them to get herself a good deal. Given the publicity that she’ll give them, it wouldn’t surprise me if she said I’d like it at half price, i would assume she’d struck a good deal, given her global recognition and PR.
‘Investing in start ups is a really good thing to do, but I wold say it’s good to invest in more more solid things first, pensions, blue chip and stocks and shares and then have a bit of a punt in starts up. I think even if you’re in your twenties it’s a good time to start.
‘Meghan is nearly 40, so I would hope she’s already got some other investments by now too.’
Clevr Blends has a range of powdered ‘superlattes’ that cost $28 for each packet of 14 cups, and comes in flavors such as tumeric and matcha.
They also sell what is billed as ‘organic Colombian arabica coffee blended with oat milk and coconut cream, powered by adaptogens, mushrooms and probiotics, naturally sweetened with monk fruit.’
It also sells an $18 branded milk frother and a sold-out travel mug.
All contain adaptogens – natural substances, typically derived from plants, that supposedly help the body counteract and adapt to stress.
Mendoza founded Clevr Blends after setting up a ‘funky coffee pop up bar’.
‘We traveled the California coast, mixing up adaptogenic lattes and mushrooms coffees out the back of a van. It was awesome,’ she writes on the company website.
‘Our drinks made people feel amazing – but were hard to re-create at home.
‘We needed an easier way to bring these magical elixirs to people’s daily rituals…so we hit the kitchen!
‘We set out on a mission to create the most delicious, nutrition-rich instant latte on the planet.
‘After 1 year of formulation and meticulous ingredient sourcing later, our SuperLattes were born!’
The company says it sources all of its goods in Santa Barbara and makes them there.
It says it only uses organic or non-GMO ingredients, and that they also want to ‘donate a percentage of our revenue to organizations that are fighting for food justice in the USA.’
Before going into the superfood business, Mendoza worked as a volunteer English teacher in Brazil.
More than The Crown: Why the mythic tone around Diana, Princess of Wales echoes today
CBC
It’s not just because of The Crown.
Diana, Princess of Wales, is back in the headlines, on magazine covers, is the subject of podcasts and has cropped up pretty much anywhere else someone thinks her name might rustle up some more attention.
Much of the recent focus has been spawned by the portrayal of her in the controversial fourth season of the Netflix drama The Crown.
But beyond that, there have been a spate of recent headlines delving into the high-profile BBC interview Diana gave in 1995, and there is anticipation of other shows, including a movie and a streaming musical, that will focus on her.
More than 23 years after her death, the mythic tone around her image seems to resonate as much as it ever has.
“It’s the same question people ask about James Dean or Marilyn Monroe or those sorts of icons. They’re embedded into our psyche,” British public relations expert Mark Borkowski said over the phone from the U.K.
“They died … before the ravages of time could take over … so you’ve got the telegenic quality of their image that hasn’t changed.”
With Diana, the image began as Shy Di, and indeed, the first glimpse of her in the latest season of The Crown is as a beguiling forest nymph dressed for a part in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
It’s in marked contrast to the high-wattage celebrity royal she became, and whose own struggles and warm way with those she met in person seemed to strike an emotional connection with many watching the House of Windsor from afar.
She was, of course, a complex character who also had some less appealing traits, and was well-versed in using the media for her own ends. Along the way there was the high-profile collapse of her marriage to Prince Charles, which is one storyline taking prominence in The Crown’s interpretation of her arrival in the Royal Family.
Why Season 4 of The Crown is facing criticism for its ‘overly caricatured’ history
Now, said Borkowski, with the “full marketing weight” of Netflix behind The Crown, it’s had “extraordinary global publicity” and any website looking for clickbait knows “that if they can run a Diana narrative, they’re going to get eyeballs.”
At the same time, there’s been renewed attention on the controversial interview she gave to BBC journalist Martin Bashir that was broadcast in November 1995, which is frequently cited for her remark about Prince Charles that “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
Diana’s brother, Charles, has alleged that the BBC used forged bank documents to get his sister to agree to speak with Bashir.
The attention on the interview, Borkowski said, is the result of a “perfect storm” of events, including the 25th anniversary of the broadcast, which became the hook for the story. He said there is also some “BBC-bashing” from other media organizations seeing an opportunity for “payback” after being vilified by the network for the phone-hacking scandal several years ago.
Why did Diana do what she did? Actor Emma Corrin looks for answers as she takes on iconic role in The Crown
The recent interest in Diana comes at the same time Borkowski sees other events playing out in the Royal Family that have echoes of her experience.
“She was the original disruptor for the Royal Family, her legacy [is] her kids [William and Harry], and Harry continues to disrupt the … narrative,” Borkowski said.
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stepped back from the upper echelons of the Royal Family earlier this year and are living with their son, Archie, in California.
Harry’s “relationship with Meghan … has all the parallels of Diana, you know, in many ways, certainly his touchy-feely, empathetic [way],” and being “more film star than establishment figure,” said Borkowski.
The actor playing Diana sees that empathy in the real Diana, too. In a recent interview with The Royal Fascinator, Emma Corrin said Diana “just didn’t fit into the Royal Family.”
“She was far too empathetic. She was far too affectionate and feeling,” Corrin said. “The Royal Family, especially how we depict them, are so broken and so … stunted in their emotional growth — and I’m not saying the actual family is … but I feel that she wasn’t.
Meghan’s miscarriage and her message
As with so much else that surrounds the time Meghan has spent in the Royal Family, her way of revealing that she had a miscarriage was different — but it was also very much in keeping with her character.
Her opinion piece last month in the New York Times has been praised for offering support to others who have had miscarriages — and for helping to shatter the stigma that so often surrounds this deeply personal trauma, which is experienced in as many as one in four pregnancies.
Meghan’s revelation is a stark contrast to the way in which senior members of the Royal Family have approached matters of their own health.
“Announcements about royal babies and serious health issues relating to senior members of the family normally come from Buckingham Palace, but I don’t think they would ever announce an early miscarriage,” said royal author and biographer Penny Junor via email.
“The public would only be told if the palace had already announced the pregnancy and the child had been lost.”
That happened in the case of Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who is married to Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Sophie spoke of being “very sad” after losing a baby in 2001 following an ectopic pregnancy.
It also happened in the case of Zara Tindall, Princess Anne’s daughter, “who then went on to tell a newspaper that she had suffered two miscarriages but hadn’t wanted to talk about it because it had been too raw,” Junor said.
“So what Meghan has done is unprecedented, but not out of character.”
Borkowski said the piece played to Meghan’s strengths of being “hugely open, talking empathetically about something millions of women across the world will understand.”
Meghan might also have been influenced by royal and celebrity examples of speaking openly about pregnancy and miscarriage, said Carolyn Harris, a Toronto-based royal author and historian.
Meghan’s piece in the New York Times comes a few weeks after model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen shared her grief via social media following the loss of a son during pregnancy in September.
“Meghan’s article where she calls upon people to commit to asking one another if they are OK may also reflect the influence of advocacy among the younger members of the Royal Family for greater emotional support for those experiencing difficult personal circumstances,” Harris said.
Because Meghan and Harry are no longer working members of the Royal Family, they can “more or less do as they please,” Junor said.
“And writing in this way is Meghan all over. She feels strongly that it’s important to talk about feelings — something pretty alien to the older generation of the Royal Family — and I suspect would have spoken out about a miscarriage whether or not she had married Harry.”
Junor said Meghan “is brave to be talking about it so soon after the event, and I am sure it will be a great comfort to women who are or have been in a similar situation.”
Still, she said, “it is puzzling that she should go public about something so very personal and painful when she has repeatedly asked for privacy.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/royal-fascinator-diana-meghan-christmas-1.5828696
STRIKE A POSE Catwalk Queen Kate Moss has £12m in bank after being top of her game for years
The Sun
AS Kate Moss graces the cover of Vogue for the 41st time she demon-strates longevity rarely seen in models.
The catwalk queen is the fashion bible’s most prolific cover girl and shows that she has still got it at the age of 46.
Kate, who grew up in Croydon, South London, before being spotted by a model scout at 14, first appeared on Vogue’s cover in 1993.
And 27 years later she is still marketable, with her main company Kate Moss Ltd worth £12million.
It must be a huge relief for Kate, whose career almost ended overnight in 2005 after pictures of her emerged snorting a white substance.
Brand expert Mark Borkowski says Kate — who has dated actor Johnny Depp, 57, Libertines front man Pete Doherty, 41, and was married to Jamie Hince, 51, until 2016 — has an enduring appeal that younger models can’t match.
He says: “She is an icon. “Models have come and gone but Kate has stood the test of time.
“There isn’t the environment for them to build their brand like she has.
“Her cocaine scandal saw her lose contracts but she has reinvented herself. She’s repositioned her brand and keeps it relevant.”
Once nicknamed “The Tank” for her ability to put away vodka, Kate has now ditched parties and booze for early nights and yoga.
Here we look at how Kate is still raking in millions after three decades.
IN the past year Kate has collaborated with luxury brands including Messika, Jimmy Choo, Coach, Giorgio Armani and starred in Matthew Williams’ debut collection for Givenchy.
In the Nineties she could command fees of £10,000 a day, but Mark says: “She won’t be earning as much as she did then.
The key thing is that she’s maintaining those contracts. Some will pay a lot but some will do more for her brand image than bank balance.”
NOT only is Kate beautiful, she is a savvy businesswoman.
After she launched her talent agency in 2016, Kate said: “I want people who can sing, dance and act. I want to create stars.”
Kate Moss Agency is now worth around £1.7million and has pop star Rita Ora, 30, and Lila Grace — Kate’s 18-year-old daughter with Dazed magazine founder Jefferson Hack — on its books.
Published accounts for Kate’s other companies show Tilly Church Ltd, which deals with media representation, is worth £1.8million and Skate LLP £140,000.
KATE owns an £8million home in Highgate, North London, but has spent much of lockdown in her luxury Cotswolds mansion with long-term boyfriend Count Nikolai von Bismarck, 33, Lila Grace, and half-sister Lottie, 22.
The grade II-listed property boasts ten bedrooms and is likely to have shot up in price since she bought it for £2million.
The area is a celeb hotspot and Kate even designed the interiors of a nearby five-bedroom barnhouse, worth £2.5million, for luxury design company YOO Homes.
KATE has featured on around 300 magazine covers in the past 30 years.
Iconic covers include her topless shoot with Naomi Campbell for Interview mag, taking a bubble bath in a wet T-shirt for Love Magazine and posing naked with Rihanna for V Magazine.
For her 40th British Vogue cover last year, editor-in-chief Edward Enninful hailed Kate as a “cultural icon”.
He wrote: “Everybody loves Kate. Many people have grown up with her, so a big part of her allure is that they feel they know her.
“She has an air of accessibility, like your next door neighbour – but the super-intriguing one who you know is having the best time ever.”
While she may be one of the world’s most famous women, Kate maintains an aura of mystique, choosing not to share her personal life on social media.
Mark says: “She is not ubiquitous. She doesn’t often do interviews.
“You rarely hear her voice. She doesn’t have a personal Instagram account.
“Even when paparazzi shots are taken, she is always snapped in cool places and keeps in with the cool set. She is in control of how she is seen.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/13347380/kate-moss-modelling-empire-12million-bank/
Dior sticks by Johnny Depp in defiance of ‘wife beater’ ruling
The Guardian
Evidence suggests defiant Johnny Depp fans have been buying Dior’s Sauvage fragrance in support of the actor, who continues to be the face of the cologne despite a high court judge finding that he violently abused his ex-wife during their relationship.
Depp has been the face of the aftershave since it launched in 2015 with an advertising campaign that was criticised for its racist portrayal of Native Americans. But many were surprised to see an advert for the fragrance, featuring Depp playing a guitar, being shown on TV during The Great British Bake Off this week.
“We have received a total of 11 complaints about this ad,” a spokesperson for the Advertising Standards Authority said, “with the complainants believing that Johnny Depp shouldn’t be in the ad due to details concerning his recent court case.”
Depp has been ordered to pay the Sun newspaper an initial amount of £630,000 in legal fees after the court found this month that there was overwhelming evidence that he attacked his then wife, Amber Heard, during the mid-2010s.
Depp was rumoured to have been paid between $3m and $5m for the Sauvage advert.
The British PR expert Mark Bokowski, who has worked with Michael Jackson and American Express, said: “I think it would be sensible for Dior to sever links with Depp. Anything can be stopped by pressing a button if they really wanted to.”
Since the advert was broadcast, fans of Depp, using the hashtag #Justiceforjohnnydepp, have been posting messages of support on social media for the actor and Dior’s continued association with him. “Johnny Depp is still the face of Sauvage, because Dior aren’t idiots,” said one post. “Shout out to Dior for practically being the one sponsor left for Johnny Depp that hasn’t turned their back on him,” said another. “He’s still the face of their cologne Sauvage, definitely gonna get me a bottle to show my support.”
Since the ruling, which dismissed Depp’s claim that the Sun had libelled him by calling him a “wife beater”, internet searches for Sauvage have increased by 23%, according to the beauty website Cosmetify. The cologne is the bestselling male fragrance at The Fragrance Shop and is in the bestsellers list at The Perfume Shop.
Bokowski said he believed the fashion label was hedging its bets by keeping Depp as the face of the fragrance.
“A brand like Dior is not just looking at this territory,” he said. “The attitude [toward Depp] in the UK will be very different to the one in eastern Europe, for example.
“Brands hope for short-term memory loss and long-term amnesia. These fashion companies live in their own bubble, it’s like The Devil Wears Prada [film]. They live in a world where they are used to facing controversy.”
In 2005 Depp’s former partner, the model Kate Moss, was dropped by Burberry and Chanel after her News of the World cocaine scandal. But instead of killing off her career, it added to her appeal. “She became the darling of the non-high street and high-end fashion brands who didn’t care [about the scandal],” Bokowski said.
Asked if there was a chance Dior could use Depp again, Lauren Sherman, the chief correspondent for the Business of Fashion, said: “In the past, pre-social media, I would have bet on it. Now there is more to lose. It’s possible, but it’s riskier.”
Despite the shadow of “cancel culture”, Sherman said she thought Dior was taking the position of “all publicity is good publicity”.
“Most businesses like that take a long view, which is that growing awareness is good overall,” she said. “People will forget about the Depp association with time, but they may not forget the Sauvage name so easily.”
The Guardian has contacted Dior for comment.
The opposite of Melania Trump: what is the new first lady of the United States known for
NTV.ru
All the tabloids of the world write that the strained relations between Donald Trump and Melania Trump are bursting at the seams, and the marriage is just a prop for the presidential term. And the other day Melania gave another reason for these conversations. On Veterans Day, the presidential couple came to Arlington Cemetery to honor the memory of the heroes of the nation. At the same time, Donald and Melania stood very far from each other. Moreover, the first lady did not come with her husband, but on the arm with a gallant stately soldier who held an umbrella and protected her from the rain.
Now is the time to take a closer look at the new first lady. Jill Bi den looks like the complete opposite of Melania Trump. And it’s not even about hair color, but rather about mood and energy. Melania is a cold, unapproachable beauty, always in perfect physical shape and with perfect styling. There are many dark spots in the biography of the outgoing first lady of the United States. This is a frank shooting in magazines for men in his youth, and the current demarches under the sights of cameras, which immediately become memes on the Internet. On more than one occasion she pulled her hand when Trump tried to take it. American women are unhappy. They believe: either endure and smile, or tell everyone what kind of monster he is.
Jill Biden is another matter. She demonstrates boundless love for her husband at every opportunity. She is excellently educated, Doctor of Pedagogy, with an ideal literate speech. All eight years of Joseph’s vice presidency, she worked and has already announced that, having become the first lady, she will not stop working.
Mark Borkowski, Producer: “Jill Biden is not Melania Trump at all. She continues the rich traditions of previous first ladies: Nancy Reagan, Betty Ford and even Hillary Clinton. There is a certain image that she matches well. This is the image of a great domineering woman who stands behind a man in power.”
She met her second husband, Joseph Biden, two years after the terrible tragedy in his life. Joe’s wife and little daughter died in a car accident. The elder sons miraculously managed to survive. The Biden couple have been taking part in the fight against oncology for decades. And in 2015, they had a good reason for this struggle – Bo’s son died of brain cancer.
But, perhaps, the main thing that Jill actively demonstrates is closeness to the people. She can throw her fists at the provocateurs, go to the Vietnamese market and dress as she likes. This story reminds the wife of the previous Democrat – Michelle Obama. By the way, they are close friends.
In general, until January, the snow queen Melania performs the duties of the first lady, who, possibly, will burst into revelations again. And Jill now has every chance of becoming a real mistress of the White House and America’s favorite.
The Crown’s Princess Diana star Emma Corrin to become £5million fashion icon
The Mirror
The Crown star Emma Corrin – Princess Diana in the Netflix blockbuster – could pocket £5million from fashion and film deals in the next year.
And industry experts predict she could be earning five times that in just a few years.
The 24-year-old former model has won the attention of high-end brands and Hollywood casting directors after landing the iconic role.
She has been spotted wearing everything from edgy labels such as Miu Miu, JW Anderson and Richard Quinn to global brands including Valentino and Chanel.
And from being a complete unknown a few months ago, Emma has been on the covers of top-end fashion mags including Vogue, Glamour and Vanity Fair.
She even shares the same sought-after stylist as Harry Styles, the first man ever to grace the cover of US Vogue.
Emma is being hailed as the new Keira Knightley – both are Londoners with a similar androgynous look.
Unknown Keira shot to fame in 2002 movie Bend It Like Beckham, and by 2008 was making £24million a year.
Emma, who already had a fledgling modelling career and had been seen in TV bit-parts, is fostering relationships with quirky designers.
That can include free clothes to be seen out in –leading to lucrative endorsements if her appearances generate big publicity.
Since The Crown series four aired last week, Emma’s Instagram following has soared from 45,000 to 175,000.
And her own keen dress sense has been boosted behind the scenes,
with Netflix pairing her with stylist Harry Lambert – who has made Harry Styles the poster boy for men’s fashion.
Branding expert Mark Borkowski said: “If a few big projects emerge, Emma could be looking at £5million.
“Clearly this iconic role, and her portrayal, will make her brand. If her next two projects are received well she will be on the way to a brilliant career.”
Brodie Cooper, image consultant at US firm PRrppd, added: “Emma’s become a big asset in very short time.
“Her agents will be receiving offers for tens of millions of dollars. Her age, presence and ability to morph into a variety of looks offer huge appeal.
“Disney are looking for strong, young female leads – including for the new Star Wars franchise.”
Stylist Lambert said: “People still reference Diana today. She took risks and did things with a rebellious spirit.
“But we’re not trying to dress Emma like Diana, Emma is her own person – that’s what excites me about her .”
Meghan came up with most flattering ‘Markle Sparkle’ nickname HERSELF
The Express
MEGHAN MARKLE invented one of her most famous and affectionate nicknames, the Markle Sparkle, when she was just a teenager, according to a royal biographer.
Meghan and Harry were allegedly always locked in battle with the Palace over how they used their platform when they were still operating as part of the royal machine. Since leaving the Royal Family’s frontline, the couple have made the best out of being able to manage their own PR. They have signed up to the same high-profile public speaking agency as the Obamas, have secured their own Netflix deal to produce mini-series and documentaries, and are on the cusp of launching their charitable venture, Archewell.
It’s a far cry from the struggles for independence they had with the Palace over the Sussex Royal Foundation last year.
While Harry was more accustomed to the slow workings of the Palace, Meghan had become adept at developing her own platform and public image during her years in Hollywood.
Newly-released pro-Sussex biography, Finding Freedom, even revealed Meghan would occasionally contact the paparazzi to let them know where she would be when she was still acting on ‘Suits’.
But there’s one key element of her public image which she first devised when she was just a teenager and which has stuck with her as her fame grew, according to biographer Sean Smith.
Writing in his new book, ‘Meghan Misunderstood’, he explained how the future Duchess coined a nickname for herself as a teenager at a summer drama camp, which would become associated with her as an adult.
He explained: “Meghan was one of 13 or 14 young teenagers, alongside a pocket of pre-teens and a group of little children.
“Another girl was known as Meg so Meghan adopted her own special jingle: ‘Meghan Markle with a Sparkle’ and everyone called her that.”
The Duchess of Sussex was regularly referred to as having the ‘Markle Sparkle’ effect within the media when she first started dating Harry.
This phrase described the furore which surrounded Meghan when she first stepped onto the royal stage.
It referred to anything from the connection her fans felt towards her to an obsession with her fashion.
For instance, search platform Lyst reported in January 2019 when she wore something, the brand would see a 200 percent increase in search demand over the next week.
However, Meghan’s ability to manage her own public image was soon scrutinised by royal fans, as her relationship with the media became more tumultuous.
Reports from last year claimed that she had informed her Hollywood PR company, Sunshine Sachs, she wanted to “break the Internet”.
She was working with them on the release of her guest-edited September issue of British Vogue at the time.
The Sun’s source alleged: “Meghan is creating a team that is not bogged down by the traditions and regulations of the Palace to work for her and Harry on passion projects.
“She was incredibly hands-on with the strategy and in one meeting told the staff: ‘I want to break the Internet.’”
They added that while that was a “shocking” thing for a royal to say, she was already of celebrity status before she joined the Firm.
They explained: “I mean, in reality, she is a celebrity. She’s very familiar with magazines and social media and PR — she prides herself in the knowledge she has.”
The PR company had represented Meghan when she was acting on Suits, too, and reportedly has a reputation for understanding the “dark arts” of reviving a celebrity’s reputation.
Meghan and Harry had endured a difficult year in terms of their public image at the time.
They were criticised for taking numerous private jets while espousing a ‘green’ message, Meghan’s rift with her father and ongoing reports of trouble with the Cambridges.
PR expert Mark Borkowski even told the Daily Mail that Meghan was attempting to build a global brand last year.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex now manage their own public engagements, and received an astounding level of attention for posting photographs of them commemorating Remembrance Sunday at the weekend.
Many have accused them of trying to steal the Royal Family’s limelight as they carve out their future brand.
Mogul Kylie Jenner teams up with The Grinch for special Christmas make-up range
The Mirror
EXCLUSIVE: The Kardashian clan entrepreneur is already worth £526million and her range with Dr Seuss’s ultimately lovable grouch is likely to make her even richer
Cosmetics queen Kylie Jenner has teamed up with The Grinch and they are likely to steal Christmas – with sales of her make-up range.
The beauty mogul, 23, looked stunning posing in a shimmering emerald outfit and red bikini as her Kylie x The Grinch Christmas collection was launched on Thursday.
And if the reality TV star’s past success is anything to go by, it will be celebrity rivals such as Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Victoria Beckham and Lady Gaga who will be green with envy.
They will certainly have to sell a lot of lippy to keep up with this Kardashian. Kylie is already worth £526million and her range with Dr Seuss’s ultimately lovable grouch is likely to make her even richer.
Every year in the UK alone, the beauty industry is worth £28billion and the average woman spends £400 on cosmetics.
More than half of sales are determined by brand name and 23 per cent by an influencer’s status.
Fashions change and the beauty brand has taken over from celebrity scents by stars such as Britney Spears or Beyoncé. And A-listers are cashing in on the trend for make-up musts such as nude lip kits and heavily pigmented eyeshadow pallets.
Neil Saunders, of GlobalData’s retail division, said: “People look to celebrities as role models and try to emulate their style through their make-up. Kylie’s Christmas collection will do well because her collections always do.
“She has a very strong fanbase and her cosmetic ranges are held in high regard.” Social media gives the likes of Kylie direct access to adoring fans. Many are youngsters spending hours in their bedrooms, perfecting intricate looks to post online.
Mr Saunders says: “The Grinch is a fun character. Those things capture attention and drive sales. It’s a brand in itself so it’s an interesting one to drop over the holiday season.”
Kylie Cosmetics is thought to have the largest Instagram reach of any cosmetics company, with 25 million followers. In November last year, beauty giant Coty announced it was paying £450million for a 51 per cent stake in the brand.
Kylie, just 10 when she was first on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which ends next year, used £188,000 of her own money to start the business with 15,000 lip kits – a combination of lipstick and lip liner – that cost £22.
The entire stock sold out online in less than a minute. In February 2016, she relaunched the company as Kylie Cosmetics, with products made in China and California. Sales have been astronomical, with revenues of about £113million in 2019.
Annie Brown, senior consultant at Brand Finance, said salon closures due to Covid-19 have driven demand for home treatment products such as hair dye and nail care.
She said with less clubbing and more people working from home, the casual, no make-up style as opposed to colour cosmetics is the hottest look this season.
She said: “Kylie in particular fits into that colour cosmetics category, so I wouldn’t be surprised if sales have been slow so far this year compared with historic years.”
But she believes such products may make a comeback over the holiday season and be popular as gifts.
She said: “Kylie has teamed up with The Grinch – both confusing and exciting her followers. Some have quipped the partnership is sure to help her steal Christmas.”
Ms Brown said ranges such as singer Rihanna’s Fenty, which launched more than 40 tones for foundation, speak to a wider audience than most cosmetics lines and feel authentic, which resonates with consumers.
But she said Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown did not “quite hit the right chord” with her Florence by Mills line as she posted videos showing how to apply the products – without using the products.
PR expert Mark Borkowski said: “Instagram has matured gradually over the past five years, allowing people to develop their own brands – especially the Kardashians.
“There is a story and an authenticity behind their look. It allows people to buy into not only the celebrity lifestyle but also what they wear, and make-up is a huge part of that.”
https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/mogul-kylie-jenner-teams-up-23046597
Donald Trump to launch media outlet to fight ‘fake news’
News.com.au
He’s yet to concede the US election, but outgoing President Donald Trump has allegedly planned his next move.
It’s not clear whether the 74-year-old will voluntarily leave the White House or, per the fantasies of some Democrats, barricade himself in the Oval Office and have to be forcibly removed.
But many believe Mr Trump’s first step post-presidency will be to launch a media empire of his own in a bid to bring down the “fake news media” that he’s continuously bemoaned over the course of his administration – and use his army of fans to help him make it happen.
“There’s no reason why he can’t lead the Republican Party and do a media thing of some kind,” former UK Independence Party leader and Trump rally speaker, Nigel Farage, told The Times.
“He’s just got 72 million to vote for him. The enthusiasm for Trumpism is just mega.”
Mr Farage, who spoke at a Trump rally in Arizona last month, said the President’s “biggest success” in the past two decades was television.
I personally believe he’ll launch his own thing,” Mr Farage said.
“If there was a prime time evening show with Donald Trump, the ratings would be off the charts.”
Public relations specialist Mark Borkowski agreed that Mr Trump was in pole position to build some form of media company.
“He’s set up this dialogue about the ‘fake news media’. He could easily set up something that is an extreme Fox (News) and a newspaper group – and he would get the backing to do it.
“Donald Trump has always defied people, but if he’s going to lose his status on Twitter, this man is a fighter. He could raise significant money to create a whole new media universe.”
A report last week from Axios suggested that the President was already working on a plan to build his own digital media channel to “clobber Fox News and undermine the conservative-friendly network”.
The channel would reportedly be launched for online streaming purposes, charging a monthly fee to fans and aiming to “replace” the Fox Nation streaming service.
“He plans to wreck Fox. No doubt about it,” a source with knowledge of Mr Trump’s intentions told the publication, adding he’ll now “spend a lot of time slamming” the network.
Following his own “train wreck” interview with the President in early August, Axios’national political correspondent, Australian reporter Jonathan Swan remarked that Mr Trump was “obsessed with media”.
“The thing you’ve got to understand about this President is he is obsessed with media and driven by media in a way that, no matter what you read about him, it still doesn’t fully explain about the level of obsession with media,” Swan told ABC’s Radio National Breakfast broadcaster, Fran Kelly.
“He is a media creation. He’s created himself through television, through media.
“He’s obsessed with it. He knows programming, he watches an inordinate amount of television.
“He’s obsessed with ratings. He knows the nuances of different shows, he knows the hosts.
“If you cover him, he is aware of you in an intense way, and particularly if you are not only covering him in print but appearing on television.”
In the lead up to the election, Mr Trump joked that if he lost, he’d leave the US.
“What am I going to do? I’m going to say I lost to the worst candidate in the history of politics,” he said at a rally in Macon, Georgia in October.
“I’m not going to feel so good. Maybe I’ll have to leave the country.”
While many laughed off the comments, CNN’s national security analyst Juliette Kayyem argued it wasn’t surprising that a plan to flee the country had crossed Mr Trump’s mind.
“He always says the quiet part out loud – I am sure the thought has crossed his mind as he’s facing both federal and state investigations that he won’t be protected from,” she said.
Johnny Depp loses libel case over Sun ‘wife beater’ claim
BBC News
Johnny Depp has lost his libel case against the Sun newspaper over an article that called him a “wife beater”.
Mr Depp, 57, sued the paper after it claimed he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard, which he denies. The Sun said the article was accurate.
Judge Mr Justice Nicol said the Sun had proved what was in the article to be “substantially true”.
He found 12 of the 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence had occurred.
Mr Depp’s lawyer called the ruling “perverse” and said the Hollywood actor intends to appeal.
A spokesperson for the Sun said it had stood up for domestic abuse victims for decades, and thanked Ms Heard for “her courage in giving evidence to the court”.
The trial was heard over 16 days in July at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
Ms Heard’s lawyer in the US, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, said the judgement was “not a surprise”.
“Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the US,” she said.
Mr Depp is suing Ms Heard, 34, in the US in a separate case, over an opinion piece she wrote in the Washington Post. Mr Depp says the article implied he was violent towards her.
The allegations of violence spanned the period between 2013 and 2016, when the couple split.
The judge highlighted three incidents where he said Mr Depp had put Ms Heard in “fear for her life”.
In one of those incidents, in Australia in 2015, Mr Depp was allegedly physically and verbally abusive towards her while drinking heavily and taking drugs. Mr Depp accused Ms Heard of severing his finger, but the judge said he did not accept Ms Heard was responsible.
“Taking all the evidence together, I accept that she was the victim of sustained and multiple assaults by Mr Depp in Australia,” said Mr Justice Nicol.
“It is a sign of the depth of his rage that he admitted scrawling graffiti in blood from his injured finger and then, when that was insufficient, dipping his badly injured finger in paint and continuing to write messages and other things,” the judge said.
“I accept her evidence of the nature of the assaults he committed against her. They must have been terrifying.”
Of the 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence, there were two the judge did not rule as having occurred.
They were an alleged incident in December 2014, which the judge said he was “not persuaded… constituted a physical assault”, and another in November 2015, which the judge said could not be proven because it was not put to Mr Depp in cross-examination.
Mr Justice Nicol said that “a recurring theme in Mr Depp’s evidence was that Ms Heard had constructed a hoax and that she had done this as an ‘insurance policy’,” and that Ms Heard was a “gold-digger”.
But he added: “I do not accept this characterisation of Ms Heard.”
Speaking outside court on the last day of the trial in July, Ms Heard said the case had been “incredibly painful” and she just wants to “move on her with her life”.
Jenny Afia of Schillings law firm, who represented Mr Depp, said: “This decision is as perverse as it is bewildering.
“Most troubling is the judge’s reliance on the testimony of Amber Heard, and corresponding disregard of the mountain of counter-evidence from police officers, medical practitioners, her own former assistant, other unchallenged witnesses and an array of documentary evidence which completely undermined the allegations, point by point.”
“The judgement is so flawed that it would be ridiculous for Mr Depp not to appeal this decision,” she added.
A spokesperson for the Sun said: “Domestic abuse victims must never be silenced and we thank the judge for his careful consideration and thank Amber Heard for her courage in giving evidence to the court.”
Charity Women’s Aid said everyone who experiences domestic abuse “deserves to be listened to and believed”.
“This also applies to survivors who do not fit the image of the ‘perfect’ victim – and regardless of the high profile of the alleged abuser. There is no excuse for domestic abuse.”
What next for Johnny Depp?
By Ian Youngs, BBC News arts & entertainment reporter
A decade ago, with three Oscar nominations under his belt, he was Hollywood’s best-paid actor. Now, this ruling, and the revelations from the trial, have done huge damage to Johnny Depp’s reputation and career.
Will film fans want to watch him play the heavy-drinking US photojournalist W. Eugene Smith in his next movie, Minamata, which is due for release in February? Will it still come out?
Will viewers want to see him in the new Fantastic Beasts movie – or, given that it started filming relatively recently, might Warner Bros decide he should be dropped? Those are his only two new credits listed on IMDB – will there be any more?
Reputation management lawyer Mark Stephens said the ruling was “immensely damaging”, and the only way he can find forgiveness in Hollywood and among the public is to admit his problems and get treatment.
But it is “very difficult to see how children’s authors like JK Rowling or children’s entertainment companies like Disney” can stand by him, Mr Stephens said.
This wasn’t a criminal trial, and Mr Depp still has a substantial fan base who have made themselves heard on Twitter since the ruling.
PR guru Mark Borkowski said there was now an “indelible stain” on his reputation – but that the fans “might help to rebuild something from the wreckage of defeat”.
Is The World Ready For Harry And Meghan – The Reality Stars?
Huffington Post
Dressed in chinos and plaid shirts and spilling profundities about climate change with an accent thicker than treacle, Prince Harry is the polar opposite of the classic reality star.
But those on the inside say Harry isn’t typically hostile with the media.
Numerous pap shots have surfaced during his short time living in California already, and they’ve shown the prince looking relaxed in front of the camera.
He’s been going about his day job; campaigning and volunteering with charities such as Baby2Baby, which helps children in poverty.
Sources teased that a reality show was also in the making, but Harry and Meghan have denied they are working on anything of the such following a story The Sun ran in September.
“They may have had all these lofty ideas about producing epics highlighting environmental causes and the poverty gap, but Netflix obviously want their pound of flesh,” a source reportedly told the newspaper.
“It will all be very tasteful, and not Katie Price and Peter Andre-style reality TV, but they want to give people a glimpse into their lives and see all the charity work they do.”
Addressing the rumours, a representative for the couple said in a statement: “The Duke and Duchess are not taking part in any reality shows.”
Of course, ‘reality TV’ is a broad term. The representative’s statement appears to confirm the couple won’t be followed by cameras in the typical reality show format, but part of the couple’s Netflix deal could be a documentary-style project featuring them in front of the camera.
We already know that Harry and Meghan have founded a production company and signed a deal with Netflix to create new documentaries and feature films.
“Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope,” the couple have said. “As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us.”
So what might they produce?
Experts that spoke to HuffPost UK believe it’s likely that any docu-film project that the couple put out with Netflix will be focussed more on their campaigning work than the couple themselves, and will be similarly as controlled as their photoshoots showing them conducting charity work in California.
“I would imagine such a reality show would revolve around causes and charity work close to Harry and Meghan’s heart,” says Samir Hussein, a royal photographer who has snapped Harry since 2010. He believes the idea of the couple being in front of the camera isn’t so far-fetched.
“Provided the reality show was on [Harry’s] terms then he will come across as comfortable,” Samir says.
A show where Harry and Meghan go about their activism in Los Angeles is certainly easier to imagine, even if it’s the inside of their home – and lives – that we really want to see.
Paul Braund, a TV producer who has developed ideas for documentaries in conjunction with royal palaces including Kensington Palace, agrees.
“All you really want to see is what they’re really like together, what the dynamics are, does Meghan really wear the trouser?” says Paul. “But I’d be very surprised if they did anything reality-like. It’d be amazing if they did, but I can’t imagine anything fly-on-the-wall-esque.”
Majesty Magazine editor and royal expert Ingrid Sewart says Harry has always been comfortable in front of the camera.
“As Prince Harry is probably one of the most photographed people in the world – because he was in front of the camera from the moment of his birth when he was carried by his mum out of hospital 36 years ago – I think he will be good,” predicts Ingrid.
“He does, however, need to loosen up a bit and not be so serious. But if he is being followed by a camera rather than speaking directly into a lens, he should manage this well.”
But producing a good TV show takes more than just a comfortable performance in front of the camera: it requires the perfect team behind it too, reminds PR expert Mark Borkowski.
“They’ve hardly got the talent to be producing,” he says. “If you think of something like Obama’s great hit on Netflix, think of all the people who got involved to make it: he was a figurehead who bought in lots of people. I’m not seeing any trade news at all so I would assume they’re still playing around with the hype.”
Mark believes that when it comes to the Netflix deal, the devil will be in the detail.
“The question about what he will become is dependent on who advises him,” he says. “Some of the biggest names in Hollywood get submerged in their own ego and hubris and are suffocated rather than listening and being challenged by critical people who keep them on message.”
Providing Harry finds the right team, what does it take to produce a show featuring the most talked-about couple in the world?
“There’ll be so many ideas,” says Paul Braund. “It would be a huge team that would come up with a bunch of wild ideas and a few would get pitched to the couple.”
Countless independent production companies and their development teams would be drumming up new ideas, he says.
“It would need to be something really credible,” says Mark. “Commissioners always ask, ‘Why now?’ ‘What’s the reason for doing this show now?’ I’ve been in the industry ten years and I’ve pitched 500 channels. You need the right time, the right access, the right talent involved, and a really unique idea no one’s heard of before.”
With the right packaging, photographer Samir believes a production crew should embrace the fact that Harry will probably want to focus the show on his charity work. That will “help him not be too preoccupied with the cameras,” and “allow him to focus on what he cares about in a natural way,” he says.
When shooting passion projects, such as last year’s ITV documentary, Harry is easy to work with: “It would be rare for him to issue special requests,” says Samir.
Whatever the final product, Harry’s establishment upbringing will result in the couple “wanting final say and a lot of creative input,’ believes Paul.
“You always see a guy who didn’t want to get on with the life he was born into,” says Mark Borkowski, who believes Harry can make a strong success of a career in TV. “He can easily become a campaigner in some sense: not quite an Attenborough, but someone who understands the issues of mental health.
More than a trusted and familiar voice on climate change and equality, Mark believes the prince could go one further, positioning himself as a modern kind of national treasure – one that feeds his home nation as well as the US.
“He could become the ultimate agony uncle as he gets older,” he suggests.
The question left unanswered, of course, is what the contents of the Netflix deal means for Harry and Meghan away from the world of entertainment. Will public opinion soar with the couple allowing us into their lives, and could the shows they produce bring some of their tabloid detractors on side?
The couple split opinion right now, with 40% of Great Britain having a positive opinion of Meghan and 42% for Prince Harry, according to YouGov. That compares with 78% popularity for The Queen.
They may not care what other people think – but there’s no denying that when these documentaries drop they’ll be some of the most talked-about pieces of entertainment around, defining a new era for the royal family and Harry and Meghan alike.
MEGA-BUCKS Meghan Markle could have made £500k for 15-minute Power Women Zoom chat – that’s £33k a minute
The Sun
MEGHAN Markle could have earned as much as half a million for her Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Zoom chat, an expert has claimed.
PR expert Mark Borkowski says that the Duchess of Sussex could have raked in £33,000 a minute at the 15-minute at the £10k-a-head event on Tuesday.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous Digital he said: “There is curiosity in anything she does and has to say, her earning potential is very high.
“I would say she would get anywhere in the region of £250,000 to £500,000 for doing something like that.”
Borkowski doubts that Meghan’s earnings would have been linked into a revenue share with every participant taking part.
As well as it being a “giant networking opportunity” and publicity for Meghan, Borowkski says it also acts as “payback” for the Sussexes.
He continued: “They (Harry & Meghan) still need high levels of publicity, both for their brand but more importantly to send a signal to the British royal family – they ain’t going nowhere.
“There’s a certain amount of gamesmanship going on, I think their ego wants to say ‘look who we are, we’re not the 3rd or 4th choice in the royal pecking order. We’re still more than relevant.’
“They had to stand in line to William and Kate, Prince Charles and the Queen and this shows their potency to the royal family – this is their little bit of payback.”
However, while Meg may be earning megabucks at the moment Borowski says that she needs to strike a balance with events in order to keep her value high.
He added: “The more you do, the less your value
“You’ve got to strike a balance, you’ve got to develop traction and media and at the same time you have to keep your value high.
“They are absolutely in the perfect place for them to do this – Brexit Britain is a backwater and Meghan is a high watt bulb.”
The Duchess spoke at the virtual summit from the Santa Monica mansion she and Prince Harry bought last month.
In the chat, Meghan – who has come under fire over her use of private jets while promoting environmental causes in the past – insisted she is “not controversial” and said “what ends up being inflammatory is people’s interpretation”.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/12817671/meghan-markle-earn-500k-fortune-zoom-call/
The infamous Parrot auditions
I hope the whole subject of storytelling and conversation emerges with relatively clarity from our activity with Joey and Dexter, so I won’t keep banging on about it. You can fill in the gaps and keep the thesis in the mind, I’m sure. This is a tale of a racing driver, a parrot, and Frank Windsor’s badly bitten ear. It’s a tale which shows how improvisation in PR will always ensure that tomorrow’s fish and chip paper can be exploited to make more fish and chip paper for the day after tomorrow and more fish and chip paper for the day after that.
This was straightforward show business PR (a campaign to promote Treasure Island at the Mermaid Theatre) rather than show business being used as a vehicle to promote product. If there’s one thing guaranteed to make the UK media go gaga (apart, of course, from whoever’s tits or fanny fell out whilst they were getting out of a cab at ritzy club) it’s anything to do with animals. I know – as you do – that the media loves a skateboarding goldfish, a football playing ferret, an alcoholic cat, a snake in a skirt, or a window-cleaning hamster. Whatever. Treasure Island comes ready-packaged with its own animal star in the shape of Captain Flint, Long John Silver’s “Pieces of Eight”-shouting parrot. I persuaded the producers to allow me to stage a stunt. There was competition in the West End. Frank Bruno was playing Aladdin in a big shiny panto. It needed a stunt, and I alighted on Flint as the vehicle for PR’ing the show. I decided to recycle a successful idea.
In a previous life I staged a crocodile audition for a new Charles Strauss musical. Nothing wrong with recycling when something really really works, and he knew that this would really really work. The Mermaid Theatre’s production was going to use a genuine parrot, rather than a piece of stuffed felt with a beak. I decided to hold open public auditions for the part. “We’re desperate to find Captain Flint! Please help! Pop along with your parrot and he could soon be a west end superstar! With a superstar salary to boot!” The press release was dispatched, the media responded exactly as expected and excitedly informed readers of the when, the where, the why and the how with, of course, extensive references to The Mermaid and Treasure Island throughout.
Since all pet owners are besotted with their furry or feathery friends, and captivated by what they perceive to be their pet’s unique, amazing and adorable talents and qualities, this simple request was virtually guaranteed to pull in a crowd of A-list oddities. At the appointed hour, under the watchful eyes of assorted TV crews and print-media camera-folk, the A-list oddities congregated at the Mermaid (against a backdrop of Treasure Island posters for full brand-awareness brownie points). So that was story two. Of course, there had never been any intention of appointing any common or garden pretty Polly to the part: the casting had long ago been signed and sealed by the Mermaid with some hard-bitten professional from a performing animal agency in Norfolk.
In due course, to keep the story rolling, we announced the identity of the successful candidate. Sadly, for the enthusiastic parrot owners who’d flocked to the auditions, none of them had secured the hoped-for prize. Never mind – they’d had their fifteen minutes of fame. And no, it wasn’t the professional parrot either. We were saving that for later. The parrot selected for the part, after weighty consideration by the director, was Humbert, a particularly beautiful specimen owned by one James Hunt. James Hunt was a then very famous World Champion Formula 1 driver and (genuinely) Humbert was his parrot. I had great memory for Fine trivia. I managed through a mate to get an audience with Hunt in his Wimbledon home. Over a game of pool I persuaded Mr. Hunt to get involved in this piece of tomfoolery. The fee, of £550 was to be paid in bird seed. I now had our THIRD story for the price of one as the papers rushed to print pictures of the dashing star of British motor-racing with his feathered friend. I don’t think I’d fully worked out at this point how to extricate myself from this situation: one way or another, Humbert would have to be removed and replaced by our (pre-agreed) professional, and however it was to happen, it had to make a fair bit of media noise.
We set to the task of improvising some not-quite-too-far-fetched media-friendly guff to get ourselves off the hook. In time-honoured fashion, this involved sitting around with our feet on a board-room table, staring into space and chewing over some vaguely on-topic crap about panto, parrots, theatres, and Frank Windsor. Inspiration emerged, as inspiration usually did when we subjected ourselves to the rigours of this arduous creative process. It turned out that Humbert, with his acute and astonishing powers of mimicry, had started swearing on stage. He’d picked up some particularly robust language from the stage crew, which he vented at random during rehearsals. Worse still, gripped by some major luvvie tantrum, Humbert had bitten Frank Windsor’s ear.
The story was duly released, and Frank Windsor was fully briefed on the tragic injuries he’d suffered thanks to Humbert’s violent tendencies. Frank happily headed off to a number of chat shows with an Elastoplast prominently attached to his ear-lobe. Amidst much rueful head-shaking at his co-star’s misdemeanours, he elicited the sympathies of the nation. Oh. And finally (as they preface all the best animal stories) there was still the vexed issue of who was to play the parrot. It was the usual, last-minute cliff-hanger. Could the producers save the show? Well of course they could. Step forward the professional parrot from Norfolk. Anyone in the media with any kind of critical faculty might have stopped to wonder why on earth the producers hadn’t thought of consulting an animal agency in the first place. But what’s the point of letting a few obvious facts or practical considerations get in the way of a good story?
As a post-script, whilst I was writing this, out of simple curiosity I googled “parrot bit Frank Windsor’s ear”. Top of the list was a story from the Weekly World News of February 6th, 1990. Under the headline “Big Mouthed Parrot Blows His Chance to Be a Star” I read (with a growing sense of wonderment) that during the first PUBLIC performance of the show, Humbert had not only bitten Frank’s ear, he’d also shouted “shut up” during a particularly critical speech, and then followed through by shitting on the actor’s jacket. Ridiculous. That can’t be true. It’s all very well having this swearing, shitting and ear-biting happening in the heads of the show’s publicists, but there’s no chance it’d actually happen live. There wasn’t a hope in hell of getting the parrot to misbehave to order. So, I can only conclude that the tale took someone’s fancy and they simply decided to embroider it slightly for their own entertainment and for the amusement of the wider world.
It’s only fair to point out that Weekly World News is possibly not the most reliable source of accurate, high-quality investigative reporting on matters of global import. Other stories in that week’s edition include “Chain Smoker Kicks 30 Year Habit … then chokes to death on wad of nicotine gum!”, “Bulldog rips Mercedes to shreds – shocked owner watches in horror as hungry mutt eats new car for lunch”, and the frankly less-than-credible “Liberace was a stallion – not a sissy!” (“Fancy pants pianist Liberace may have looked like a sissy-boy, but behind closed doors
