Royal Family Urged to 'Be Relatable' Like Prince Harry to Reach Gen Z Audience

The British monarchy has been urged to adopt a more relatable approach to public engagement and take cues from Prince Harry, to better connect with younger generations.

Former royal butler Grant Harrold, who served King Charles for seven years, said Harry's natural ability to resonate with people, even without active social media use, is a model the rest of the royal family could benefit from.

Harrold claims that in today's social-media-driven world, authenticity is more influential than curated online appearances.

Why the British Royal Family Needs to Be Relatable

Harrold told GB News that younger audiences increasingly look up to celebrities for lifestyle cues, not just royal protocol. 'People love celebrities nowadays. We look up to these people for how they dress, how they act, their lifestyles, where they live, what they eat and drink', he explained.

He emphasised that the rise of social media influencers has reshaped public expectations of public figures. Harrold argues that the royal family must evolve beyond staged appearances and social media posts to genuinely connect with the public. 'They basically have to become a modern celebrity', he said, adding that Prince Harry is the perfect example.

What Prince Harry Did to Become Relatable

When pointing out an example the Royal Family needs to look up to when it comes to being loved among younger generations, it's Prince Harry. Harrold pointed out that the Duke of Sussex can engage personally with people without too much work, and it's because of 'authenticity'.

Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan Markle have managed a hands-on, approachable public image, rather than being all 'duties'.

Recently, the pair volunteered with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, at Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles, a community initiative supported by their Archewell Foundation.

Photos showed the family baking cookies, slicing vegetables, and packing meals, with Meghan holding Lilibet's hand as they watched Harry prepare food boxes. Body language expert Darren Stanton noted that the Sussexes appeared 'totally at home in each other's company'.

Meghan herself would also post personal photos of their family celebrating widely-known holidays, like Halloween.

Harrold said Harry's authenticity resonates strongly with Gen Z and younger millennials, noting that the monarchy's traditional image of formality may struggle to engage younger audiences. 'That is what Harry was. The monarchy needs that kind of connection', he said.

The Royal Family's Public Image: What Needs to Be Done

The former butler noted that the monarchy plays a huge role on how the entire world see UK. 'When people think of the UK, the first thing they think of is the royal family. They think of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and the king and queen'.

He added that Britain's global image is still linked to aristocracy, castles, crowns, and ceremonial tradition. While this heritage remains important, Harrold believes keeping this image up won't work on younger, socially conscious audiences, especially as early royalties had a long history of being anti-poor.

Now, King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales maintain social media accounts; however, Harrold suggests that polished posts alone are not enough. Genuine relatability requires personal engagement and moments that reflect everyday human experiences, not just ceremonial duties.

Besides authenticity, he also pointed out that younger generations increasingly value transparency and shared experiences, traits that Harry shows without necessarily relying on curated digital content.

The rest of the royal family could use a similar approach to stay connected with a public that prioritizes personal lives over royal duties that are often branded as 'political'.