In today’s fast-moving media world, brands are frequently required to respond to scandals that may tarnish perceptions of their products or services. Quick responses to quieten rumours or accept responsibility for missteps are crucial.

This becomes challenging when people themselves are the brand. Their behaviour is much harder to control than a press release. They present feelings and emotions that may disrupt any strategic response to scandal.

Britain’s royal family is a case in point – and with the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, their brand is facing one of its biggest tests of the modern age.

Consumers are known to form deeper, more emotional bonds with human brands than nonhuman ones – such as the passionate fans of Taylor Swift, who identify with her on a personal level. The flipside is that any perceived lapses or failures in judgment may also generate stronger emotions, reflecting more negatively on perceptions of that brand.

For years, the royal family has had to navigate publicity around the former Duke of York. Much of this is related to his long-term relationship with the late financier and convicted child sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest under suspicion of misconduct in public office places the rest of the family in a position of protecting the brand from damage by distancing themselves from him.

The arrest follows the US government publication of documents that appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor sharing official information with Epstein during his time as a trade envoy. That period, from 2001-11, was not without scrutiny for the then-prince. But the palace generally kept a low profile in response – following the mantra “never complain, never explain” that was often attributed to the late Queen Elizabeth.

Mountbatten-Windsor stepped down from the trade envoy role in 2011, with the palace issuing a simple statement that, in future, he would “undertake trade engagements if requested”.

In the following years, public pressure mounted on the royal family to be more transparent in many respects, especially concerning Mountbatten-Windsor’s embroilment with Epstein.

The turning point from a low-profile brand management strategy to more overt actions appears to have been Mountbatten-Windsor’s Newsnight interview in November 2019, in which he claimed to have broken off his friendship with Epstein in 2010. He also denied allegations of sexual abuse that had been brought by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre.

This moment provided a focal point that attracted public outrage. In response, the royal family began to take more decisive action to avoid the brand being contaminated or “infected” by the negativity surrounding the former prince.

Social contagion

The concept of social contagion helps us understand how this works.

According to social contagion theory, people are influenced by those around them. This helps explain how behaviour, attitudes or emotions can spread through a group or society, much like a virus. What you may call “cancel culture” occurs when disapproval and moral condemnation of an individual or group snowballs across social media as people feel compelled to join in.

The reaction to the Newsnight interview – memes, mocking headlines and charities and sponsors distancing themselves from Mountbatten-Windsor – would have made clear to the royal family that their brand was at risk from this social contagion.

Despite the late queen’s reported support for her son, the monarchy began taking formal measures to protect the institution. In November 2019, Mountbatten-Windsor stepped back from public duties “for the foreseeable future”. In January 2022, he was stripped of royal patronages and military titles, as well as the right to use His Royal Highness in any official capacity.

The following month, Mountbatten-Windsor settled out of court with Giuffre for a reported £12 million, with no admission of wrongdoing.

À lire aussi :
Spare: how the soap opera around Prince Harry’s memoir will affect the royal brand

In May 2023, although he attended King Charles III’s coronation, he played no official role and was not included in the procession or royal balcony appearance. Since that time, King Charles and Prince William have made it known they do not want him back in public life.

The full removal of Mountbatten-Windsor’s title of prince in October 2025, following the publication of more Epstein-related documents, solidified his permanent exclusion from public life. Most recently, he has been forced to leave his royal residence and move to a more isolated home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

Both the king and William issued written statements to distance themselves in light of the newest Epstein files, expressing their “deep concern” for Epstein’s victims. The formality of making written statements signalled the seriousness with which they viewed the events, and also acted as a public record of their distancing from Mountbatten-Windsor. In showing their sympathy for the victims, they were aligning morally with them rather than defending him.

Once a brand is accused of criminal wrongdoing, this potentially escalates a crisis from a minor reputational issue into one that risks a complete breakdown of trust in the brand.

In a statement, the king said “let me state clearly: the law must take its course” and “my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all”. His reference to “Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor”, as opposed to acknowledging him as his brother, makes clear Mountbatten-Windsor’s ostracisation from the rest of the family.

The royal family appear to have navigated their responses to the potential tarnishing of the monarchy in both official and unofficial ways. They have stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of all official roles and titles, excluded him from public royal events, shown public support for Epstein’s victims, and employed a media management strategy that shifts the focus to other royals.

But polling conducted before the arrest suggests the royal brand is still at risk.

Brands can weather scandals by making fast responses and accepting responsibility. But they may also need to build trust again by proving in the longer term that they have changed. Perhaps the royal family is due for a rebrand.

Switzerland – unbeaten through the round-robin stage – appeared to have the upper hand in the early stages in the curling semi-final, but the decisive moment of the contest came in the seventh end, when a brilliant takeout from Mouat cleared away ⁠four stones and forced the ​Swiss ⁠to relinquish the hammer for just a point.

Oliver Glasner guided Crystal Palace to their first ever major honour by winning the FA Cup last season, but has lost a lot of credit with supporters in the months following their Wembley triumph

Oliver Glasner’s broken relationship with Crystal Palace fans has taken another hit with the departing boss warning them to stay humble.

The Austrian was the toast of Selhurst Park last year, after he guided the club to their first ever major honour by winning the FA Cup. He followed that up by winning the Community Shield in a magical spell for the Eagles.

But in the months following, he has grown increasingly frustrated after seeing the likes of Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi leave the club.

Glasner has already confirmed he will be leaving at the end of the season, but his departure still may come before that. Palace fans chanted for Glasner to be sacked following the 1-1 draw with Zrinjski Mostar in the Conference League on Thursday night.

It then emerged that Palace could accelerate the 51-year-old’s exit, although it is now understood he will remain in place for a crucial run of fixtures. Palace sit just eight points ahead of the drop zone after a run which has seen them win once in the Premier League since the turn of the year.

READ MORE: West Ham have belief in Premier League relegation battle as Spurs and Forest push panic buttonREAD MORE: Furious Oliver Glasner responds to Crystal Palace sack calls as fans make feelings heard

MAKE THE MIRROR YOUR FIRST CHOICE! Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

And Glasner remains unhappy with the Palace faithful calling for his head, suggesting certain supporters need to remember where they came from.

He said: “They can say and sing whatever they want. I know what I am doing. I would say the most important thing is stay humble. I think it’s the same for the fans.

“Stay humble. Never forget where you’re coming from. I think a few who are so critical in this situation are not humble anymore.

“Forget where you are coming from and usually in life you are punished for this. It would have been quite easy for me to step back earlier, [I had] many opportunities to be honest. I didn’t do it. I felt responsible for the team – especially for the players.”

Pressed on whether he will remain until the conclusion of the current campaign, he added: “Let’s see. What the future brings, we never know.”

In a prickly press conference before the home game with Wolves, Glasner also suggested that he wasn’t good enough to overcome the losses of some of their key players.

He continued: “I think Crystal Palace have had the best time in their history and I’ve played maybe a small part in these best 18-20 months.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football’s Facebook page

“We are not in the best moment right now. I understand and take responsibility for everything because I am responsible for the whole team.

“I am just not good enough to replace the players we sold. I am just not good enough to integrate the new players in a way that we can play the same way as we did. I am not good enough that we can cope with the schedule.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

Advertisement

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£43

£35

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.

Advertisement

The Night Agent season 3 has dropped on Netflix with viewers desperate to know whether Treasury Agent Jay Batra survives

The third series of The Night Agent landed on Netflix recently with nine fresh instalments, leaving audiences on the edge of their sofas. The latest run tracked the titular Night Agent Peter Sutherland (played by Gabriel Basso) as he attempted to locate Treasury Agent Jay Batra (Suraj Sharma), who escaped to Istanbul following allegations he murdered his superior, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Whilst Peter pursued Jay relentlessly, he simultaneously began investigating a shadowy financial network linked to terrorism and political wrongdoing. Peter joined forces with Financial Register reporter Isabel De Leon (Genesis Rodriguez) as they delved further into the operation, exposing carefully concealed truths that put their lives in jeopardy.

The third series of The Night Agent concluded with its trademark dramatic finale, featuring another substantial body count befitting the elevated tension of the narrative.

Numerous viewers are intrigued about what happened to Jay, here’s the full picture – though be cautioned, this piece reveals major plot points from The Night Agent series three.

Get Netflix free with Sky

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

from £15

Sky

Advertisement

Get the deal here

Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.

This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.

Does Jay die in The Night Agent?

No, Jay survives The Night Agent series three. On the contrary, he remains very much alive and well by the closing moments of the final episode as he presents his version of events during a television news broadcast.

Treasury agent Jay was shown not to have murdered his boss and was actually attempting to highlight suspicious financial transactions connected to a terrorist incident. Following Peter’s discovery of the truth from Jay, he pledged to provide him with protection back in America.

Jay collaborated with Peter and journalist Isabel to uncover money laundering, terrorist operations and blackmail connected to US President Hagan (Ward Horton), First Lady Jenny Hagan (Jennifer Morrison), and Jacob Monroe (Louis Herthum).

Whilst Jay made it through season three, several characters weren’t as fortunate, with Catherine Weaver (Amanda Warren) meeting her demise in a startling early episode. Banker Freya (Michaela Watkins) was eliminated by The Father (Stephen Moyer) following her threats against him.

Jacob also perished, murdered by Adam (David Lyons) under presidential orders and staged to appear as a suicide.

Jacob’s death came after it emerged he was journalist Isabel’s father and had been helping Peter with his enquiries, rendering him a liability requiring removal.

Will there be another season of The Night Agent?

Netflix has yet to confirm The Night Agent for a fourth series and will probably assess the show’s performance before making a decision.

According to FlixPatrol, the thriller currently sits at number one in Netflix’s global TV rankings, which bodes well for potential renewal.

That said, showrunner Shawn Ryan recently hinted to Deadline that he’s got concepts prepared for a fourth instalment should they receive approval. Ryan cryptically told the outlet: “[T]here’s a world that we’re in, it’s a world that exists in Los Angeles, which is the creative reason why we moved the show to Los Angeles, because it’s a world that is present in Los Angeles, it’s not present in New York for the most part.”

However, he refused to elaborate any further until Netflix formally commissioned another series of the show.

The Night Agent season 3 is streaming on Netflix now

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website**

Actor Eric Dane, known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, died this week after suffering from ALS

A woman whose brother and husband died of Motor Neurone Disease like Eric Dane has revealed the unusual first “secret signs” they had the “cruel and devastating” incurable condition. Carol Deytrikh-White, 65, lost her husband Alex and brother Brian to MND in March 2009 and 2022, respectively.

American actor Eric Dane, known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, passed away on Thursday after suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common form of MND. Alex’s first symptom was that he noticed running was getting harder, despite going three times a week.

For Brian, his first sign was that he was losing his voice towards the end of each day. MND is a life-shortening and incurable condition that causes weakening of the muscles until a person becomes unable to move, breathe or speak.

Carol, a retired nurse practitioner from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, became a carer to her late husband Alex in the months before he passed. She now devotes her time to raising awareness and fundraising for the condition, which she described as “cruel and devastating”.

Carol said: “We’re all aware that MND is one condition you don’t want to get – it’s so cruel. I think I knew that Alex had MND before he did – but the diagnosis was a completely devastating, heart-dropping kick in the stomach.

“It affects the whole family and, for the majority of people who develop MND, it doesn’t offer any hope. But awareness has a two-fold benefit – fundraising for treatments, but also so that the people around you can have more empathy for those affected. There’s a human tendency not to deal with or talk about things that feel uncomfortable.”

Alex was physically active, and he and Carol would regularly play squash and run together. But before he was diagnosed, Carol says Alex, who was an officer in the RAF, noticed his running was getting harder despite running three times a week.

He got a weakness in his left arm and, after failing his RAF medical, consultants started to run tests. It was first thought he might have a trapped nerve, but he was diagnosed shortly after, which Carol described as “devastating”.

After his diagnosis, as Alex’s condition deteriorated, he was less able to walk, talk, breathe and sleep. She eventually reduced her hours at work to just a handful a week, in order to care for Alex.

She said: “With Alex’s journey, the rate of progression was quick. He died within two years of the diagnosis.

“In the last two weeks I had to attend to Alex every half an hour because he was unable to swallow even saliva. I was attending to him all day, but I was also getting up throughout the night for his feeds and ventilation.

“I couldn’t go out, not even to the shops. But all I wanted was to be with him, I didn’t see it as a sacrifice. It was a privilege.”

After Alex passed away, Carol felt like she was “thumped in the stomach” when her brother, Brian, was diagnosed with MND a few years later. Brian – who was living in Thailand at the time of his diagnosis – emailed his sister to say he was losing his voice at the end of each day.

He had sent letters and tests back to Carol and the diagnosis was confirmed on a trip back to the UK. Brian returned to Thailand, with Carol flying over to help with equipment and support before his death in 2022 at the age of 57.

Carol said: “Hearing Brian’s diagnosis years after losing Alex, because MND is still relatively rare, and they didn’t have a genetic relation, it was unbelievable as well as devastating. Brian spent the last three of four years ‘locked in’ in his bed. He couldn’t move or eat.”

Carol has since remarried and spends a lot of her time fundraising for the Motor Neurone Disease Association with her husband, John White, 69. Alex had already raised a lot of money for the association and Carol wanted to continue his work and keep his memory “very much alive and celebrate his life”.

They are walking along the entire coast of the UK, which is around 11,000 miles in total, and around 8,000 miles to walk because of the layout of the paths, she said. They have been completing it bit by bit for the past ten years, alongside juggling seeing their seven children combined, plus 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

At their current rate, they anticipate finishing in four years’ time. The challenge has raised £5,500 for the MND Association so far.

She said: “For other conditions, there is an element of hope, but at the moment, for MND, it’s not there. And hope is the last human instinct to go – I almost didn’t believe Alex was dying on the night that he died.

“But when you do watch someone you love die, you realise how lucky you are to have that day and the next. In my lifetime I want to keep fundraising and I want to see hope given for others diagnosed. I realise we’re privileged to have life and it’s our duty to make the most of it.”

ECM Vehicle Delivery Service Ltd, based at The Airport in Carlisle, has applied to add an operating centre at Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead.

The site is located at North East Wholesale Fruit & Vegetable Market Ltd, NE11 0QY, and would be used to station 10 vehicles and 10 trailers.

Under the rules governing Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licences, anyone who owns or occupies nearby land and believes their enjoyment of it would be affected can make written representations.

These must be sent to the Traffic Commissioner at Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UE within 21 days of the public notice being issued.

Those making representations are also required to send a copy to ECM Vehicle Delivery Service Ltd at its Carlisle address.

The company currently holds an existing operator’s licence and says the application is solely to add an official operating centre in Gateshead.

More details about the application process are available on the GOV.UK website.

The US military says it has struck a boat “engaged in narco-trafficking operations”, killing three men.

The vessel “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations”, the US Southern Command said on X.

The military has not provided evidence that the boat or the men on board were involved in drug trafficking.

Footage of the strike on Friday shows the small boat floating in the Pacific before an explosion, causing it to burst into flames.

President Donald Trump previously said the US is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America.

US strikes on alleged drug boats have killed at least 148 people in at least 43 attacks in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, including 11 people earlier this week.

Read more from Sky News:
Trump announces global tariff
Trump’s trade war is not over

Mr Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs.

But critics have questioned the legality and effectiveness of the strikes, as the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is smuggled into the US via land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

In January, the US launched a direct military attack on Venezuela, extraditing Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, transporting them both to New York to face narcoterrorism and other charges, which both deny.

Located on the Northumberland Line, Northumberland Park station will welcome passengers for the first time on Sunday, February 22, with the opening service scheduled to arrive at 8.10am.

It is the fifth new station on the line, which reopened in December 2024, for the first time in 60 years.

Alex Hornby, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “We’ve been working hard to prepare for the opening of Northumberland Park and are looking forward to welcoming customers on board this weekend.

“The Northumberland Line is having a really positive impact on the region, and this new station will allow even more people to benefit from quick, convenient and affordable train travel that opens up a range of new opportunities.”

The Northumberland Line has already recorded more than one million journeys since reopening.

Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “We’re so looking forward to this next station re-opening, marking the latest milestone in this hugely ambitious project which is exceeding all expectations.

“We’re looking forward to meeting passengers at the new station from Sunday.”

Martin Gannon, deputy mayor of the North East Combined Authority and cabinet member for transport, said the station’s completion follows a £10.9 million investment by the mayor.

He said: “This follows the mayor’s £10.9m investment to get Northumberland Park station completed so that passengers can now enjoy a simple, affordable journeys on the Northumberland Line and Metro alongside easy access to local bus and ferry services.

“We know how transformative good transport links are for local people, and we’ll continue to invest in regional schemes that deliver positive outcomes and opportunities for residents.”

The final stop on the line, Bedlington, is expected to open on March 29.

Residents are asked to keep windows and doors closed

Emergency services are in attendance at a fire in Co Armagh on Saturday morning.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has been tackling the blaze at a commerical building in Milford since before 4am on February 21.

50 firefighters have been tasked to the scene and local residents are asked to keep their windows and doors closed until the fire has been dealt with.

READ MORE: PSNI issue appeal for missing teen possibly dressed in a dressing gownREAD MORE: Return to 50:50 police recruitment would be a mistake says DUP leader Gavin Robinson

A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokesperson said: “Crews are currently attending a fire at commercial premises at Ballyards Road, Milford, Armagh.

“The initial call was received at 0345hrs, Saturday 21st February 2026.

“Currently over 50 Firefighters from stations in Armagh, Keady, Portadown, Banbridge, Dungannon, Newtownhamilton, Lisburn, and a water tanker from Pomeroy are currently working to bring the incident under control.

“Local residents are advised to keep windows and doors closed, and members of the public are asked to avoid the area to support firefighting operations.

“We would like to thank the public for their patience whilst we dealt with the incident.”

Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here