Prince Harry is "trauma dumping on a mass scale" as part of a "well-thought-out PR strategy", according to an award-winning therapist.
Danny Greeves is a trauma specialist and has been following the Royal Family drama since the release of the Duke of Sussex’s book, Spare, earlier this month.
The 34-year-old claims that Harry has been sharing sensitive details from his past to raise awareness for his new book and documentary.
But he warns that the prince's "trauma dumping" could be triggering to other people who have experienced the death of a parent.
“Trauma dumping is a term used to describe the sharing of a trauma with another person without their consent,” Greeves said, having originally written a blog post on the topic.
”The whirlwind of media following Harry and Meghan’s documentary and television interviews and the release of Harry’s book could be perceived as trauma dumping on a mass scale.
”The focus here should be on how many other people who have experienced the death of a parent may be being triggered.
”I wanted to share how this could be impacting so many other people who are struggling with their own grief from the past and who have not consented or wanted to hear this information."
He added: ”With so many people believing the purpose of these trauma stories is for financial gain (whether that is the case or not), Harry has already seen his popularity slide.”
The Prince's dropping popularity has not gone unnoticed – with a YouGov survey showcasing just 26% of Brits have a positive view of the royal.
Greeves, a Norwich-based coach and dad-of-one, believes this is all part of a strategic PR plan by the Duke of Sussex and his team.
He explained: “Harry is in the midst of a well-thought-out ‘PR strategy – working to raise as much awareness for his documentary and his book as possible, [which is perfectly understandable].
“Harry's story taps into that primal desire of the public to hear the story of someone who goes from tragedy to triumph.
”Whatever you think of him, he is a victim of many traumas in his life, even though a former member of the Royal family, members of the public may struggle to relate with that, so his portrayal has to be carefully considered and might have been handled better by his team.”
The trauma expert says that while people are indirectly consenting to hearing the stories, there is “not much consideration” for the impact this may have on the audience.
He said: “It may have been wiser to give greater warning and caution to those who are sensitive to those subjects.”
But that’s not to say that there isn’t a time and a place for sharing your past experience in a bid to move on from them.
Greeves continued: “Sharing the events of a trauma in a supportive, safe space can be a key step in the journey to healing for many people.
“The purpose of sharing the trauma is to begin processing the experience with the hope of moving toward a recovery.
”Sharing a traumatic experience is therefore framed in the context of healing.
”There are both advantages and disadvantages of Harry and Meghan sharing their story, and it’s up to each individual to decide, based on their own past experiences, if it is content that can help them on their journey.”
