It’s a pivotal time for the Cambridges.
Hot off the back of a contentious Caribbean royal tour — which conjured up images of colonialism and faced “tone-deaf” accusations — the couple found themselves in dire need of fresh ideas to help them future-proof their image. Especially as the Queen continues to step back and they prepare to take on a greater leadership role within the monarchy. Enter PR guru Lee Thompson.
This week the couple announced the communications executive and former Team GB triathlete as their New Head of PR. He’ll fill the shoes of Victoria O’Byrne, the Cambridges’ former communications secretary, who left Kensington Palace after a family member became unwell.
The Leeds University Graduate has been described in the Sunday Times as, “brilliant, super-switched-on guy who really gets the international stuff’, which will be imperative for Kate and William’s visit to the US this autumn in aid of William’s environmental Earthshot Prize awards ceremony. In the States, the duo’s public image was tarnished by Meghan and Harry’s explosive Oprah interview which levelled charges of racism at The Royal Family and led to William’s off-the-cuff “We are very much not a racist family” rebuttal. All eyes will be on the transatlantic communication chief to navigate the treacherous waters.
It’s also a significant moment for the family given reports that they will soon be moving from London to Berkshire to give their children a more normal upbringing (currently Prince George can’t even play footie with his friends in the park). What’s more, the Queen’s advancing age and dialing back of in-person engagements, means the Cambridges will be given a more pivotal role in the running of the Firm.
But who exactly is Lee Thompson dubbed William and Kate’s “inspired hire”? And will he be able to craft an international-facing public image as they try to grow into a new position within the monarchy?
From Leeds graduate to international PR star
After studying Politics and Parliamentary Studies at the University of Leeds, Thompson began his career as a press assistant in 2007, before learning the ropes in politics as the parliamentary assistant to Labour MP Ann Keen.
He then pivoted slightly to lend his savviness to corporate companies including global communications behemoth Freuds. He worked there for four years before taking on the role of Head of Communications, International for CNBC (the business-focused arm of American multinational mass media conglomerate NBC). He then climbed the ranks to become Vice President of Global Communications and Strategic Partnerships at NBCUniversal, stepping into the post in October last year.
According to the Daily Mail, Thompson helped increase CNBC’s YouTube audience by 600 per cent showing his knack for digital communication and social media. This should prove useful considering that Prince William has plans to join TikTok in a bid to appeal to the younger generation. A senior aide is reported to have said: “He is very aware of the need to use new ways of communication. I wouldn’t rule out a Cambridge appearance on TikTok.”
His colleagues have also sung his praises. On his Linkedin page, he has been described as “an exceptionally talented communicator with a global perspective”, and as a “superb people person” who “excels at relationships and diplomacy”.
A Team GB triathlete
Before he worked his way up the corporate comms chain, Thompson was a high-flying athlete who even competed for Team GB. His most notable achievements include stepping onto the podium in the 2018 Fyn ITU Duathlon World Championships to showcase his bronze medal, finishing in eighth position in the 30-34 age-group at the 2018 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Gold Coast and sixth place in the 2018 Ibiza ETU Duathlon European Championships.
He regularly appears on the World Triathlon YouTube channel, which has 85.4k subscribers, where he uploads 30 second clips of himself while training in the countryside. In an interview with CNBC, he explained that, “even away from home, I get the triathlon training in,” when stating that he always gets in a 6:30am workout no matter where in the world he is (his favourite gym is the cult Barry’s Bootcamp and he enjoys Athlete Lab for cycling sessions).
Thompson also enjoys travelling, which is lucky considering the international nature of his job. In his swanky CNBC job, he split his time between their international headquarters in London and Signapore, the latter of which he describes as “one of my favourite cities on the planet”.
To unwind he often listens to podcasts, and his favourite one is the Squawk Box Europe podcast, which is a CNBC show which recaps the biggest stories in Europe.
Joining a top team
Thompson will work alongside the likes of David Watkins, also fondly known as “Digital Dave”, who does Digital Communications and Social Media for the royal couple. He clearly knows his field – he was former digital communications head for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s account Sussex Royal and also has global social media coordinator for Burberry down as a past job on his CV.
In total, there are 15 members of staff in the Cambridges’ team. Their royal entourage also includes Hannah Cockburn-Logie, who was appointed as the Cambridges’ private secretary in June 2020. Cockburn-Logie is responsible for organising Kate’s diary and meetings, as well as accompanying her on engagements. She also arranged and accompanied the royals on their seven-day tour to India and Bhutan in April 2016.
Jean-Christophe Gray was appointed Prince William’s exclusive private secretary in February of last year, taking over from Christian Jones. Jean-Christophe previously worked in the Government’s Treasury Department as Head of General Expenditure Policy, as well as working in the communications team for the then-Prime Minister David Cameron from 2021 to 2015.
“The Cambridge Way”
The Cambridges were accused of being "tone-deaf" after pictures emerged of them shaking hands with crowds behind a wire mesh fence in Kingston and riding in the back of a Land Rover during a military parade in Jamaica during their Caribbean royal tour. The couple were met with protests on arrival in Belize, Jamaica’s prime minister told them during an excrutiating meeting that the country was “moving on” and a committee in the Bahamas called for a “full and formal apology for their crimes against humanity” in relation to slavery.
On their return from the week-long tour, it was said the couple hardened their view that the monarchy must be “agile” to survive and thrive. A source told the Mirror: “The Duke was clearly frustrated at the lack of answers and the absence of any workable solutions being put forward. The feeling was there were so many pitfalls that could have been avoided.”
Insiders told The Sun at the time that the couple were looking to “modernise how they work”, adding: ‘’In future they will rip up the rule-book and do things, ‘The Cambridge Way’. They’re trying to work out what that will look like. It is not a criticism of how it was done in the past. But times are changing.”
It could see an end to the Queen’s “never explain, never complain” policy, the monarch’s strategy of maintaining a dignified silence to criticism or press coverage to avoid a political-style strategy of responding to daily developments. Although it has served her well, William’s aides believe it might belong in the past as the world moves on and looks anew at the family’s historical ties.
With Lee Thompson on the dream team, all eyes will be on “The Cambridge Way”.
