According to information obtained through a freedom of information request, it's alleged that they sought a gag order, effectively silencing anyone at the school, including students, parents, and teachers, from criticizing them.
The school's staff appeared to go to great lengths to ensure the couple had a comfortable visit, including arranging for cushions and a new carpet to be brought in, as revealed in emails obtained by The Daily Mail. They also requested the availability of an outdoor space for the event.
Furthermore, the leaked documents suggest that the couple had a say in which school they would visit and went through multiple edits of press releases to present their appearance in a more favorable light. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had come to Harlem to read their children's book, "The Bench," to second graders in September 2021.
Their media list for the event was tightly controlled and limited to publications friendly to Meghan. Notably, British tabloids were banned from attending.
The documents obtained by The Daily Mail also indicate that students and faculty at the elementary school were required to sign consent forms for filming the event. Planning for the visit began six months in advance and was managed by publicist Toya Holness, who had also worked for the New York City Department of Education.
The gag order extended to participants, preventing them from discussing the Netflix documentary and from making negative statements about Meghan and Harry. The forms allowed the couple's film crew to capture content for their documentary and included a confidentiality clause. Students were also prohibited from posting about the visit on social media.
Dominique Clemina, a PR representative for Penguin Random House, the publisher of "The Bench," was part of the email correspondence for the event. The leaked emails revealed discussions about details like carpets, cushions, and decor.
It's worth noting that the Harlem school has a student population that is 91% Black and Hispanic, with 95% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches due to their low-income backgrounds.
However, when Meghan appeared at the school in September 2021, she was wearing a $5,840 Laurel Piano cashmere coat, $1,680 pants, and jewelry totaling around $387,000. This included her $350,000 engagement ring, a $4,500 diamond ring, Princess Diana's $23,000 Cartier tank watch, a $6,900 Cartier love bracelet, and a $3,000 Jennifer Mayer tennis bracelet.
Meghan's mole posted a video that featured a clip of a mother who claimed that Meghan had told her daughter, one of the Harlem school children, that she was a princess. The video was initially uploaded to YouTube but was later removed. The mother went on to express that she did not see Meghan as a princess or someone of significance.
The entire episode has generated considerable discussion about the meticulous management of the event and the efforts made to portray the couple in a positive light, despite the controversy surrounding it. Meghan read a book about fatherhood to underprivileged children, many of whom came from single-parent families, during the visit.
