"It's a PR exercise": What Royal experts think about Meghan and Harry breaking up with the tabloids.

It has been over a week now since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their decision to step down as senior members of the British Royal Family.

They will become financially independent, the couple explained, and will split their time between England and Canada.

Since then, the Queen has assured the public she is “entirely supportive” of her grandson and his wife’s decision, with plans currently underway to strategise their “period of transition”.

Now, as their drastic changes and "progressive" new roles are put into place, royal experts are sharing their thoughts on the couple's revised media approach - which sees them leave the 'Royal Rota' that was established 40 years ago.

Here's everything we know about the Royal Rota, and what the experts are saying about it.

What is the Royal Rota?

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex explain on their new website, the Royal Rota is a system that allows UK media "exclusive inside access to the official engagements of members of the Royal Family".

"The core group of UK outlets with Royal Rota access remain the predominant news source through which worldwide media organisations receive content on the official engagements of members of the Royal Family."

This includes The Daily Mail, The Sun, The Daily Mirror, Daily Express, The Telegraph and more.

Why are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry leaving the Royal Rota?

In their own words, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry say they are leaving the Royal Rota system "to reflect both their forthcoming change as members of the Royal Family with financial independence, and their wish to reshape and broaden access to their work."

Their new approach, they say, will aim to engage with "grassroots media organisations and young, up-and-coming journalists", "provide access to credible media outlets focused on objective news reporting," and "continue to share information directly to the wider public via their official communications channels".

What do the experts say about their decision?

Royal Reporter for the Daily Express Frederica Miller spoke to Mamamia's daily news podcast, The Quicky, about how the UK media generally feels about the royals' decision.

Miller told host Claire Murphy that their approach will feel like journalists are "getting information from a PR [public relations] exercise".

"If they're picking journalists and kind of curating their own publicity rather than showing the event in a real way, it's almost just like a PR exercise."

Listen to The Quicky here, as we interview Frederica Miller about her thoughts on Meghan and Harry's decision. Post continues below. 

Furthermore, Miller criticised the royals' disapproval of the tabloid media, saying her colleagues share "a sense of frustration because they are suggesting that none of the tabloid journalists are qualified.

"They've spoken on their website about engaging with the grassroots media organisations and young and up-and-coming journalists, but they don't recognise that actually a lot of the journalists working for the outlets they want to ban are up-and-coming."

As for if the royal couple's frustration at the British tabloid press is justified, Miller believes the media has not necessarily been unfair.

"I think a lot of the negative coverage they've had, there has actually been a good reason for it."

"Some of their actions need to be held to account over the past year. Things like taking private jets while preaching about green causes - it just seems hypocritical and I don't think it's wrong to pick that kind of thing up."

Miller does, however, concede that she understands why they would be upset "on a personal level," admitting, "it must be horrible to read coverage that you don't like about yourselves."

"But I just think that's part of being a public figure."

However, this criticism of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry is not shared by all Royal experts.

Internationally renowned European Royal Expert Marlene Koenig also spoke to The Quicky, saying: "Let's be honest - Meghan has not been treated fairly.

"She's been their whipping boy and that is just not a good thing."

Feature image: Getty.

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