Colleen Harris, the Former Press Secretary to Princes Charles, William and Harry and Official Spokesperson at William and Kate’s Royal Wedding is one of the international PR gurus scheduled to present at the Global PR Summit Accra, West Africa’s leading PR event, taking place from 18-19 February at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra.
In this exclusive interview granted to PRNigeria, the media partner for the Global PR Summit, Colleen shares her views on her work with the Royal Family, the Duchess of Cambridge and the most important lessons she has learned in her 25 years career in the communications industry.
Colleen held a senior communications position in the Prime Minister’s Office before being appointed Press Secretary to HRH the Prince of Wales, and was the first Black member of the Royal Household. She handled the media for The Prince of Wales during some of the most turbulent years, and also media-managed the emergence of Princes William and Harry into the public eye. Her career has included senior posts in the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, and the Cabinet Office as well as in non-departmental Public Bodies. She has worked in Britain and abroad as a consultant with private companies, non-profit organisations and UN agencies, including the World Health Organisation.
You have worked for the UK government, for the British Royal Family, even with the Elton John Aids Foundation. Looking back, what is the most important PR lesson you have learned in your astonishing career?
Yes I have been fortunate to work for some fascinating organizations and also to deal with some challenging issues. PR is not an exact science and so there are no hard and fast rules about the best way to handle things. Every situation is different and the experience you build up over time guides your style and approach. For me, planning is very important. Gaining an understanding of your organization or client is crucial. Analysis and planning are key to developing a good PR plan.
Before joining the Royal Household, you worked for the UK Government and Margaret Thatcher. How did this prepare you for the hard task of managing the PR for Prince Charles and the Princes William and Harry?
I worked in Government communications under both Conservative and Labour governments. I worked in different departments and for many Ministers, including PM Margaret Thatcher, PM Gordon Brown and DPM John Prescott, dealing with major matters of state from major transport accidents to health issues such as HIV/AIDS to prison breakouts and race riots, shootings, government leaks etc etc. Alongside that I was involved in managing the personal profile of Ministers during sensitive personal and family issues. I guess all of that prepared me for most things, but working for the RF was still a bit different!
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For many in PR, working for the British Royal Family is the ultimate dream job. What was the first thought in your mind when you got the job?
I had several interviews before being offered the post by HRH, and was convinced I was not going to be offered the job. I don’t think the penny dropped for several days. I then thought, how am I going to cope with the challenges as a working Mum. I really hadn’t thought it all through properly as I didn’t think I would really get the job.
You started working for the Prince in some very challenging times, right after Princess Diana’s death. Was there ever a moment when you said to yourself- I cannot do this anymore or it is too challenging for me?
As a busy working Mother with two young boys I had that thought several times. It was a difficult time for me as the job was challenging and home life was challenging. The media’s interest in the RF was intense and exhausting, but I was proud to be part of the team handling these difficult issues and developing different strategies to meet everyone’s needs.
Why do you think the press and the public gave such a hard time to Prince Charles? Do you think that he was maybe vilified by the supporters of the late Princess Diana?
This is a complicated issue that I can’t easily answer here. Part of the problem was that the media didn’t know all the background and still don’t.
Introducing the young princes William and Harry to public life must have been a hard task. What were some of the challenges of working with the young princes?
One of the joys of my job was developing strategies to introduce Princes William and Harry to the public. It was an exciting time – Eton, gap years in Chile and Australia, university, landmark birthdays, new friends and interests – all made for challenging relationships with the media, a public hungry for more information on the young Princes and of course dealing with William and Harry and their personal needs. It was fun!
Looking back at your time at the Royal Household, what do you think is your biggest achievement?
Moving the Prince of Wales from a hated and ridiculed public figure to one respected for his charitable work, seen as a supportive father and able to be with the person he loves.
Many of the former employees of the British Royal Family have written books about their work in the Palace. Are you considering writing one?
Maybe.
It seems that Kate is the new Princess Diana and the ultimate ambassador of the British Royal Family. Although many praise her for bringing normality to the British Royal Family, others say that the Royal Family has lost its glitter and spark? What are your thoughts on this?
I think the Duchess of Cambridge has brought a fresh look to the RF which is proving popular with the public.
In my view the Royal Family has always modernized and adapted to reflect the times. The Victorians were different to the Edwardians and the Elizabethans and different to the Edwardians. It is right that the Royal Family continue to modernize otherwise they will become irrelevant and completely out of touch with their publics. There is an argument that we lose something of the glitter and sparkle if the Royal Family are ‘normal’. Getting the balance right is tricky, but I favour a more modern and relevant Royal Family for the 21st century. A different kind of sparkle that comes from using their position to do important and wonderful things to benefit everyone.
Lastly, what is the one advice you would give to your African PR colleagues?
PR is a clever and fascinating profession and even after 30 years in the business I still find it a great thrill. I would say enjoy the challenge. Be creative and have fun.
For information on tickets and pricing for the Global PR Summit Accra please visit: http://www.thepworld.com/pevents/event/90/global-pr-trends-summit-egypt
