The mud, or horse manure, flew last week as a number of tabloids
took a pot-shot at Prince William. Dubbing him ’arrogant’ (Express
30/11/99) and ’shamefaced’ (Mirror 30/11/99) they launched a personal
attack on the young Royal’s decision to hunt foxes.
Their main ammunition was that he was going against public opinion. The
Express went further, some said too far, reporting that William was
’riding roughshod over his mother’s memory’.
The Daily Telegraph called for the tabloids to cease their ’hounding’,
and offered opinions from ’friends’ of the late Princess of Wales that
she was not in fact anti hunting.
In spite of their differences, the papers universally agreed that the
prince needs better PR advice as he begins to make his own decision,
either from Buckingham Palace or by the appointment of a personal
adviser. Alistair Campbell, Peter Mandelson and even Tony Blair were
mooted.
This week the Daily Mail’s Stephen Glover reviewed the coverage with a
judicious eye, concluding: ’I’d far rather he hunted than became the
confection of the spin doctors.’
Analysis and commentary by Echo Research. More information can be found
at www.echoResearch.com.
