Prince Harry and Meghan have risked a new row with the Royal Family after launching a new website using their Sussex title last night.
The couple replaced their Archewell website with a site called Sussex.com that includes their biographies and lists their recent activities.
But sources warned that using his Sussex title and royal coat of arms for what appeared to be commercial purposes could lead to complaints from the Palace.
One of them said: “They are going to have real problems using Sussex.” It’s a real title and if there’s any hint of commercialism about it, it will be shut down. It’s just amazing that they can’t see how clumsy he is.
However, a source close to the couple said last night: ‘Prince Harry and Meghan are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. That is a fact. It’s his last name and last name.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in September 2023. The photo now appears on the home page of sussex.com
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s royal coat of arms features prominently on the new Sussex.com website and could cause tensions as a result.
The launch of the website fueled speculation that they are trying to revitalize their media careers.
The homepage for ‘The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ went live yesterday afternoon. It features enthusiastic biographies of Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, as well as the latest news about the couple.
The duke is described as a “military veteran, humanitarian, mental health advocate and environmental activist.” His wife is hailed as a “feminist and defender of human rights and gender equality.”
The Sussexes’ online rebrand comes amid speculation they may be looking for new production companies to work with. Their £18m deal with Spotify recently came to an end, and there have been rumors that streaming giant Netflix may not renew their £80m deal with them.
The website is operated by “The Office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex” and is a “one stop shop” for all their activities.
Their “About” page says: “The office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is shaping the future through business and philanthropy.”
The Sussex.com website contains flowery descriptions of the Duke and Duchess.
It comes ahead of the couple’s trip to Canada for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 One Year to Go celebrations.
Sussex.com has a minimalist design and features a large photograph of the couple on the home page.
It has links to the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions, as well as the controversial website sussexroyal.com launched in 2020 to coincide with their decision to step back as working royals.
It is believed that the Duke and Duchess will use the site to share their personal and official updates, keeping people informed through the ‘News’ section.
Their ‘About’ page reads: ‘The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is shaping the future through business and philanthropy.
‘This includes: The Archewell Foundation, Archewell Productions, sponsorships, companies and organizations that receive support from the couple, individually and/or together.’
There is also a page dedicated to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, detailing their background and achievements.
Prince Harry’s biography references his 10 years of service in the British Armed Forces and as the author of the New York Times bestseller Spare, “a memoir of his life told with compassion, vulnerability and unflinching honesty.”
Meghan’s biography references her advocacy work, her career in the entertainment industry as a lead role on the television series ‘Suits’ and as the author of the NY Times best-selling children’s book ‘The Bench’ and ‘Together: Our Community Kitchen’.
Their bios include the line: “They are committed to their mission: showing up, doing good.” They hold the value that charitable work should not simply be “an alms, but rather a hand up.”
The Archewell Foundation was created by the Duke and Duchess to “build meaningful initiatives” and “drive long-term change”.
Archewell Productions was founded in 2020 and is “dedicated to illuminating diverse and inspiring narratives that underscore our common humanity and celebrate community.”
Prince Harry rushed to London from Los Angeles last week to see his father, King Charles, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.
Following the announcement of the King’s illness on Monday, Prince Harry, 39, flew to London from California, where he lives with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children.
The Duke of Sussex took a commercial British Airways flight from Los Angeles and arrived at Buckingham Palace at 2:42 p.m.
He then spent about 45 minutes chatting with his father, in what is believed to be his first proper contact in 15 months.
It was their first formal in-person meeting since the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle joined 15 women who have resettled in the United States from Afghanistan to cook traditional Afghan food over the weekend.
The Duchess of Sussex (center) prepared Afghan food on Saturday along with 15 Afghan women now living in the US.
The Duchess of Sussex created The Welcome Project in 2023 alongside the Archewell Foundation, which she created alongside Prince Harry.
The program is supposed to create “a safe haven and inclusive environment for women who have recently resettled to the United States from Afghanistan,” according to a news release from the Archewell Foundation.
On Saturday, Meghan joined the Southern California Welcome Project for an evening of cooking and storytelling.