Paddy harverson biography of william
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The Times, citing a "close friend" of Catherine, reports that the princess decided to record a video message instead of publishing a statement, and that she wrote "every word of it" without input from advisors.
Mr Harverson said he had "no issue" with how the Royal Family had dealt with the announcement of Catherine's diagnosis, and criticised the "permanent death loop" of speculation on social media.
"I am sure she wanted the picture to be as best as possible and she apologised for it so everyone should have moved on," he said.
Catherine, 42, has not attended any official events since Christmas.
A photograph of her and her children, released on Mothers' Day, was met with a frenzy on social media due to inconsistencies in the picture.
In a statement, Catherine later apologised for "any confusion" caused by the photo, and said that "like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing".
The Sun's editor Victoria Newton told the BBC that Catherine decided two weeks ago to time her announcement about cancer for the last day of her children's school term.
"Her priority was protecting her three children.
Lastly, they reflect on the evolving landscape of media and the crucial role of internal communications in navigating challenges like the pandemic.
Timestamps
00:00 Paddy Harverson on leadership, culture, and experiences.
10:55 Intensity of managing football communications, media content.
16:55 Representing and guiding Prince William and Harry through public life & media scrutiny
21:00 Handling the workload at the royal household.
24:59 Maintaining good media relationships
30:27 Advance preparation for royal tours across continents.
34:15 World leaders gather to commemorate D Day.
42:27 Consistency in work, clients, hiring, and culture.
44:33 Being selective about clients.
48:40 Evolution of business structure and media communications.
52:15 Internal communication is vital in business today.
Video 1: Paddy Harverson on working at Clarence House
Video 2: Positioning Milltown Partners
Video 3: Selling the business to an employee ownership trust
Full Name
Paddy Harverson
Job Title
Co-Founder
Company
Milltown Partners
Speaker Bio
Paddy Harverson is the co-founder of Milltown Partners, a consultancy with offices in London and San Francisco that advises corporate, institutional and private clients on strategic and policy communications, and reputation and privacy management.
you also have to remember they are human beings and you have to follow their lead to a certain degree," he added.
The couple have faced intense public speculation about Catherine's health, since her operation in January for a condition that had not been revealed. He emphasises the importance of calmness, truthfulness, and maintaining professional boundaries in high-stakes environments.
It can be deeply distortive as a lens on the world," said Mr Ahmed.
He claimed that social media firms have the means to tackle the spread of harmful conspiracy theories on their platform, "but they choose not to".
Separately, a Kensington Palace spokesman has said the Prince and Princess of Wales were "enormously touched by the kind messages" they have received, and that they were "grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."
The couple have already said they will not attend this year's Easter Sunday service.
"It means I get a sister, which I have always wanted," he added.
But things appeared to fracture in later years as Harry and Meghan deviated from the royal straight and narrow. In his memoir Spare, Harry recounted a row between Kate and Meghan over bridesmaids' dresses that left Meghan in tears.
Natalie Pinkham
Harry describes sports TV presenter Natalie Pinkham as a "close friend" who he met in 1999.
"We often left voicemails for one another to make arrangements for where we should meet, and what our plans were," he said.
Caroline Flack
The late presenter Caroline Flack, who died by suicide in 2020, was also a friend of Harry's.
"The press were always interested in Caroline because of her job as a well-known presenter," he said.
The pair briefly dated in 2009, and the presenter was described as "a bit of rough" in tabloid coverage at the time.
Harry repeated this in his memoir Spare, which Flack's former manager labelled "grotesque" as he criticised him for revealing private details about her.
Prince Harry, 38, is suing MGN (Mirror Group Newspapers), attempting to prove that reporters for the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People titles were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called "blagging" or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators, between 1996 and 2010.
MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them.
The publisher also argues that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late.
Harry in Court - Watch special programme on Sky News tonight at 9pm
Kate and William need time and space to heal, says former royal spokesman
- Author, Joshua Cheetham
- Role, BBC News
People should give the Prince and Princess of Wales "time to heal" after Catherine's cancer diagnosis, a former royal spokesman has said.
Paddy Harverson, who previously worked for the couple, defended Kensington Palace's handling of the announcement.
"This is not just an institution, it's a family...
It is unclear if King Charles will lead his family to church.
Buckingham Palace say they are "hopeful" he will be able to join the family next weekend.
The King has said he is "so proud" of his "beloved daughter-in-law" and that he and Camilla are in the "closest contact" with her.
The BBC understands that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reached out to William and Catherine since her diagnosis.
You can watch a BBC News special programme about how the Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis in a video message to the nation - 'Kate's Cancer diagnosis' - on BBC iPlayer, now.
you also have to remember they're human beings," he told the BBC.
Catherine revealed on Friday that she had begun treatment, after weeks of speculation about her condition.
She said cancer was discovered after she underwent abdominal surgery.
Details of the cancer have not been disclosed, but Kensington Palace says it is confident the princess will make a full recovery.
Meanwhile, the King's nephew, Peter Philips, has told Sky News Australia that Charles is in "good spirits" but "frustrated" that medical treatment was preventing him from returning to royal duties.
It comes six weeks after King Charles paused his public appearances following a cancer diagnosis himself.
The two were briefly treated at the London Clinic private hospital at the same time.
"I suppose I'm biased, some of them are friends of mine, but I think it's very difficult when you're in that situation," Mr Harverson told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.
"You have to give them the space so while there might be communications...
Paddy delves into the company's strategic focus on quality client relationships and honest communication, which has driven their reputation and growth, particularly in the tech and sports sectors.
Together they explore the foundational values that contributed to Milltown Partners' success, such as integrity, collaboration, and the privilege of selective project engagement.
She didn't want them going to school being asked even more than they already were," Ms Newton explained to Laura Kuenssberg. push it to the front", making certain topics and viewpoints appear more popular than they really are.
Podcast videos
Joe speaks with Paddy Harverson, co-founder of Milltown Partners, who shares his insights from his time managing communications at Manchester United and Clarence House as well as running his own agency.
Paddy discusses Milltown's unique approach of marketing their business, how they created a successful company culture, and selling the business to an employee ownership trust in 2021.
Paddy discusses his journalism background and its importance on his subsequent roles; navigating media relations at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson's watchful eye to managing the public image of King Charles and his royal household.
"They will get over this," he added. Harry details a number of "suspicious calls" made from the Mirror Newspaper Group to Mr Haverson.
Harry said: "He would have been the first to know if something newsworthy about my brother and/or I had occurred good or bad and would, in all likelihood, been the one to have known the most about it.
"If they were accessing his voicemails, it is likely those messages contained extensive information about what actually happened or how it was being handled."
Read more:
Prince Harry blames tabloids for 'inciting hatred'
The articles brought up in Prince Harry's case against Mirror Group Newspapers
Analysing Harry's statement
Thomas Inskip
Harry and Thomas Inskip were school friends and spent a lot of time together, Harry said.
"Thomas and I were in regular phone contact and exchanged frequent voicemails about our education, and our family and private lives," he said.
Jamie Murray Wells
Another close childhood friend of both princes, Mr Murray Wells founded Glasses Direct and was awarded an OBE in 2015 for services to business.
His witness statement claims: "There was a call made from someone at MGN to Jamie on 21 July 2006, which seems suspicious.
"It's appalling to see the reach of the Defendant's activities and how much they were prepared to spend to gather information and/or photographs of me."
Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales
After Kate started dating William in 2003, she and Harry would "occasionally" discuss private and sensitive matters over voicemail in addition to making social plans.
The pair appeared to enjoy a close relationship in the early years, with Harry responding to news of William and Kate's engagement by saying he was "delighted".
"I am highly confident that the King, who I know well, is incredibly strong, very resilient, a great spiritual person."
The Sun has called for "social media trolls, idiotic conspiracy theorists and sniping media critics" to "lay off Kate" - days after it published a video of Kate and William at a farm shop in Windsor.
Ms Newton defended her decision to publish that video.
"It was very important to change the narrative," Ms Newton told the BBC.
"A lot of the rest of the media then started saying 'Back off Kate'".
She said that before publication she had been in touch with Kensington Palace and was assured "there was no problem with us running those images".
Meanwhile, also appearing on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Imran Ahmed discussed the viral claims made on social media about Catherine in recent weeks, and warned of the dangers of the platforms.
Mr Ahmed, chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, stressed that social media is "designed to take the most controversial information and...
He was a royal equerry, an attendant to the royal household.
He was "privy to lots of private and sensitive information", Harry said in his statement.
He added that he stopped talking to him for a long period, suspecting him of leaking information to the press because of "paranoia".
He said it's due to the publication of information of his whereabouts that only Marko could have known.
Helen Asprey, private secretary
Harry said Helen Asprey was "intrinsically involved in all aspects of my private, family and professional life, and was responsible for making arrangements for me".
She knew "lots of private information" and he was "in regular phone contact with Helen".
He added that she "would have also exchanged voicemails with others containing my private information, such as my day-to-day plans and whereabouts".
Guy Pelly, an entrepreneur and friend of Harry's
Guy Pelly was a friend of both princes since childhood, Harry said.
"Social media is not the vox populi, nor is it a safe and clever place to get information from. They spoke regularly about "very private and sensitive things" in both their lives, he said.
Mr Pelly, among Harry's other friends, became an "instant target" for the press, Harry said: "They weren't in the public eye, yet they were thrust into it just by being a friend to me."
His statement says: "My solicitors have shown me call data showing calls from the Defendant to the mobile phone of my Associate, Guy Pelly."
Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Harry's former private secretary
As private secretary to both princes from 2005 to 2013, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton was "involved in almost all aspects of my private, family and professional life", Harry said.
Harry said he feels "suspicious" about the level of detail journalists managed to glean about Mr Lowther-Pinkerton, referencing an article that included his role as a former SAS commando, his army career and his children.
Alexandra Shan Pettifer (née Legge-Bourke), known as 'Tiggy'
Tiggy, as Harry affectionately calls his childhood nanny, was his guardian growing up and "played a central role" in his life.
An article about him being asked to be her child's godfather forms part of the court case; Harry alleged that details attributed to a "palace insider" were likely the result of phone hacking.
Paddy Harverson
Paddy Harverson was King Charles's communications secretary between 2004 and 2013.
"I really do think we should give them time and space".
Mr Harverson challenged the suggestion that the Royal Family was more fragile because of recent illnesses.
"We just have to come to terms with the new reality, there's fewer of them," he said. Prior to moving into communications, he was a journalist on the Financial Times where he filled various roles, including Economics Reporter, Wall Street Correspondent, and Sports Correspondent.
Speaking At
Promoting, Protecting and Restoring your Reputation in the Digital Age: What we can Learn from the Experts
People Harry names in witness statement - from the King and Kate to Caroline Flack and Chelsy Davy
Prince Harry's 55-page witness statement features a cast of Royal Family members, household associates and close friends.
In his written statement, the duke says that "in every relationship that I've ever had - be that with friends, girlfriends, with family or with the army, there's always been a third party involved, namely the tabloid press".
He goes on to list 16 people - which he calls his "associates" - whom he was "in regular contact and often exchanged voicemail messages with" during the "relevant period".
Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods.
Sky News looks at the key players, who they are and how they relate to the phone hacking claims.
Prince of Wales
Harry said he and Prince William "naturally discussed personal aspects of our lives as we trusted each other".
Although much has been made of the "royal rift" between the brothers in the wake of Harry and Meghan's relationship, they appeared to be close when they were younger.
Harry's witness statement the press have "always been very interested" in William because of his position in line to the throne.
He also said that they "naturally discussed personal aspects of our lives as we trusted each other with the private information we shared".
"We would often speak over the phone and regularly left voicemails for one another containing very private and sensitive information about our private, family and professional lives.
"We would discuss our personal relationships, education and careers as well as social arrangements over the telephone and voicemails.
"I am aware that my brother was also a victim of phone hacking and unlawful information gathering."
Prince William settled a phone-hacking claim against Rupert Murdoch's UK newspaper group in 2020.
Prince Harry court case - live updates
Princess Diana
Harry said he and his mother were "obviously very close" and regularly spoke on the phone, particularly when he was at boarding school.
He wrote of feeling "physically sick" at the thought of journalists allegedly "earwigging" into his mother's private messages in the months before her death.
His witness statement added: "Up until her death in 1997, we were in regular telephone contact when we were not together, especially as I boarded at school.
"Private information relating to me would have been present in voicemails left on her phone by members of my family or the Royal Household."
Harry's relationship with the press has been particularly strained over his mother's death.