PR Week sensed the hand of Max when an embargoed release from
Cosmopolitan arrived this week, detailing its forthcoming ‘exclusive’
feature ‘Max Clifford is the brains behind Princess Diana’.
The actual article, due to appear in September’s issue, is chock-a-
block, with ‘quotes’ from Clifford, such as: ‘I said to Diana: ‘You’ve
got to do it yourself, in your own words, in your own way’.’
Others included: ‘She wanted to fight each attack at the time but I said
‘Let it store up. As long as you’re seen to be doing good things, the
right time will come’.’
Strangely, however, the not normally publicity-shy PR man says ‘there’s
no truth in it’.
And, I queried, does he also deny telling the glossy mag that Diana’s
former PR adviser Jane Atkinson merely fielded press enquiries and that
he was the real brains behind her publicity?
‘They [Cosmo] were saying ‘we know you’ve done this and that,’’ says
Clifford. ‘I said that had I been advising Diana this is what I would
have done.’
The true story may yet come to light as, apparently, the journalist
concerned - Louise Atkinson - who Clifford apparently rang to express
his disappointment over the piece -has the interview on tape.
Clifford, currently advising eight-baby mother Mandy Allwood, admits the
article is good PR for him, but says: ‘I don’t exactly need exposure now
do I?’
‘I wouldn’t want the job anyway,’ he adds. Confused? You’re not the only
one.
