Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hire ‘Hollywood’ crisis management firm used by Harvey Weinstein

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have hired a PR firm used by Harvey Weinstein in order to help them in their public-facing endeavours, a representative for Buckingham Palace has confirmed to Yahoo UK.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to have hired Sunshine Sachs to help them with a “major global initiative”. This is Travalyst, a sustainable travel initiative which Prince Harry launched in Amsterdam last month.

“The Duke of Sussex launched a major global initiative this week, which involved multiple corporations, each with their own PR teams and agencies,” a representative for Buckingham Palace told us.

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“As Sussex Royal is very much in establishment mode, and still in its infancy, we asked Sunshine Sachs to support us on media outreach in the US for this event.”

Sunshine Sachs have previously represented the likes of disgraced Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. It also worked with the family of Michael Jackson.

In a statement to Yahoo UK, a representative for Sunshine Sachs told us: “We worked for the Jackson family regarding the funeral and for the Weinstein Company, but severed ties upon learning of the allegations.”

While the company “is not advising the Duchess personally,” the representative told us they were retained by the Sussexes to help with the Travalyst launch after initially helping with the publicity surrounding Meghan Markle’s guest editorship of the September edition of British Vogue.

“We briefly worked on the Vogue project in the U.S. market and were retained in the past few weeks for the launch of Travalyst in the U.S. market,” the representative said.

The company’s fee is said to have been paid privately, according to the representative.

Other celebrity clients of Sunshine Sachs include Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Natalie Portman, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Keleigh Thomas Morgan, who reportedly attended Meghan and Harry’s royal wedding on 19 May 2018, is said to be a friend of the Duchess’.

A royal insider told The Sun that Meghan and Harry’s choice of a Hollywood firm is unusual.

“Hiring a Hollywood firm to represent you for PR while a member of the Royal Family is unorthodox to say the least,” a royal insider told the publication.

“Senior palace courtiers have been left bemused over the last few months that the couple have been ignoring advice from their own highly-professional team and will instead listen to outsiders in Hollywood.

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“But Meghan trusts Keleigh, who got a prime seat at her wedding and she’s known for years.”

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the royal couple are using the PR firm, according to The Sun.

The pair have recently faced criticism from the public after undertaking four private jet journeys in 11 days, and today royal expert Ingrid Seward accused Prince Harry of pushing the public away.

Yesterday, Markle become the latest target of Piers Morgan’s controversial rants. Morgan called claims the Duchess of Sussex faces racist abuse and media criticism “nonsense” and suggested that he receives more online abuse than the 38-year-old royal.