Expert weighs in on real reason for William and Catherine's new PR hire

A PR expert has weighed into the rumoured reasons the Prince and Princess of Wales have hired a new public relations executive who specialises in crisis management.

Multiple UK media outlets have reported on the new hire, identified as Liza Ravenscroft, who runs the UK Crisis & Issues team for Edelman, which has an arm in Australia.

There has been much speculation in the UK media about the reason for her hiring, with some linking it to the imminent return of Prince Harry, King Charles' cancer diagnosis or even the ongoing saga around Prince William's uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Others on places such as X have even spread scurrilous rumours it was due to the state of the Wales' marriage, despite the fact they appear happier than ever.

Media outlets have quoted palace insiders who said Ravenscroft was simply a new addition to the team.

"Liza is joining in a non-crisis-based role in the KP press office, working on the day-to-day press interaction Kensington Palace has," one insider said.

"People who work in communications for the Royal Household come from an array of backgrounds."

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Now, the Daily Mirror has quoted PR expert Mayah Riaz, who said the hire should be seen as calculated rather than defensive.

"Speaking as someone who works closely with high-profile public figures on crisis management, this is a calculated and proactive move, not a reaction to panic," she said.

She explained that the biggest mistakes at this level of public scrutiny come from being underprepared, not the actual crisis.

Riaz added that a crisis manager is there to put a plan in place before a crisis, like the Photoshopping one that engulfed the couple, erupts.

"It is about message discipline, speed and making sure the right narrative is ready if and when speculation starts to spiral."

Mayah added the new role would be about "protecting long-term credibility rather than firefighting daily headlines".

She did not rule out a possible link between the new hire and his brother Prince Harry's plans to return to the UK for high-profile visits this year, including a court case and the Invictus Games.

"The timing is telling," she said. "William sits at the centre of a very complex media ecosystem, with ongoing public fascination around his relationship with Harry.

"With Harry's visit approaching, it makes sense to have an expert in place who can anticipate media angles, manage briefing strategy and neutralise misinterpretation before it gains traction."

It could also be that William is still stinging from the wild conspiracy theories that stemmed from Catherine's break from public life after she underwent major abdominal surgery in January 2024 and was subsequently found to have cancer.

The couple initially tried to keep the news private before they released a video in March that year in which Catherine revealed she had been told following the surgery that cancer was present and she was embarking on a course of preventative chemotherapy.

According to Ravenscroft's LinkedIn bio, she started out as a reporter at BBC Radio 4 before moving to Brazil where she took up positions with France 24 and later CBS Correspondent before returning to the UK to become a press officer at Heathrow.

From there, she filled in as its head of news before moving to British Airways, where she became Head of Global Media Relations, before taking up a position at Marriott International.

She joined Edelman as its Senior Director, UK Crisis & Risk in 2024.

Her new role is thought to have come about following input from Julian Payne, the former communications secretary to King Charles and Queen Camilla, who is now Edelman's UK chief executive.

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