6 changes Harry and Meghan made to their website - Queen tribute and photo edit
It may not be the first website that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have ever launched - but sussex.com could prove to be the most controversial.
Quietly going live last night, the site replaces their Archewell and sussexroyal.com sites. While many fans have praised the sleek design, it has raised also eyebrows due to the prominent use of their royal titles - the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The site also features Meghan's royal coat of arms, something she hasn't used publicly since quitting her role as a senior royal. The main cause of concern is that the couple could use the royal-inspired page for commercial projects after the Queen banned them from using the term 'royal' to make cash.
The couple launched their Sussex Royal website as they announced they were quitting the UK and it was quickly followed by Archewell. However on their new site, they have cut out many of the key elements that appeared in the first two sites.
And here we've examined some of the biggest and most noticeable things to be dropped from the new site...
Royal roles axed
One glaring omission from Harry and Meghan's new site is their failure to mention that either of them were previously working members of the Royal Family. In the couple's lengthy bios on the about us section, neither mentions their former royal positions that they sensationally quit in early 2020.
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Harry and Meghan in Australia when they were working royals (Getty Images)In individual biographies of the couple, Harry is highlighted as a "humanitarian, military veteran, mental health advocate, and environmental campaigner" - but not as a member of the Royal Family. Neither is Meghan, who is described as a “feminist and champion of human rights and gender equity" who has been named "one of the most influential women in the world" across a series of rankings.
However, the website does consistently refer to the couples royal titles and one source told the Daily Mail: "They are going to have real trouble with the use of Sussex. It is a royal title and if there is any hint of commercialism about this it will be shut down. It's just staggering they cannot see how gauche it is." However, an insider close to the pair hit back, and said: "Prince Harry and Meghan are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. That is a fact. It is their surname and family name."
Royal Family forgotten
Another glaring omission when it comes to Harry is that there is no mention of the Royal Family, his upbringing or that his father is King Charles, his brother William is the Prince of Wales and that his late grandmother was Queen Elizabeth II. On their previous website Sussexroyal.com, there was an entire section dedicated to serving the monarchy.
Harry and Meghan with the late Queen (Getty Images)It read: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex deeply believe in the role of The Monarchy, and their commitment to Her Majesty The Queen is unwavering. Their roles will continue to reflect their sense of duty and allegiance to The Monarch and her legacy in the world, as they transition into the new working model.
"As they move to become members of the Royal Family, with financial independence, their commitment to The Monarch is resolute, and they aim to continue to fly the flag for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as called upon." However, this sentiment about the monarchy or the new monarch King Charles has not been replicated on the site.
Heavily-edited photo
Meanwhile, the homepage of the new site features a feel-good photograph of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex applauding and cheering. The sweet snap was taken during the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf in 2023, one of the most impressive projects Prince Harry is linked to.
The original shot of the picture used on Harry and Meghan's homepage (Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation)The event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women was set up in 2014 by Prince Harry and he still remains a fervent supporter. Next week, the couple are set to appear in Canada for the lastest instalment of events. But in this photo, it's been edited so the man seen behind Meghan's right shoulder gently fades into the background. It also has a royal blue filter over it - a colour often associated with the Royal Family.
Stripped back Archewell
In 2020, Meghan and Harry had to ditch the brand 'SussexRoyal' following concerns from the late Queen and others that they could capitalise commercially off it. But now the Sussex brand is back, and it seems like it's part of an endeavour to distinguish themselves from the Archewell brand they set up four years ago, as the website describes "The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan'.
Archewell had replaced Harry and Meghan’s previous Sussex Royal brand after they quit royal duties. The name was inspired by their son Archie – combining 'arche', the Greek word meaning source of action, and 'well' as "a plentiful source or supply; a place we go to dig deep". The new website links to the couple’s non-profit organisation the Archewell Foundation and their production company Archewell Productions.
Meghan's acting omission
Meghan Markle has an impressive CV as an actress - but she's chosen to only mention her most famous role, which was in Suits, and minimise the years she was in the 'entertainment industry'.
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Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)It states: "After graduation, Meghan turned her focus to the entertainment industry, later securing a lead role on the hit series, ‘Suits’ which she starred in for seven seasons. Between filming, Meghan travelled to Rwanda, India, and other countries to support humanitarian missions." Meghan's first television appearance in the US was in an episode of the medical drama General Hospital in 2002, before she also appeared on hit shows CSI, Without a Trace and Castle, and sci-fi series Fringe, playing FBI special agent Amy Jessup.
She also appeared in TV films When Sparks Fly and Dater's Handbook, and a role in hit blockbusters Get Him to the Greek, Remember Me and Horrible Bosses.She was also a "briefcase girl" on the US version of game show Deal or No Deal.
Netflix series ignored
As well as launching sussex.com site, the couple also quietly launched another sub website, focusing solely on their Archewell Productions company.
It's the area of the couple's organisation dedicated to making "scripted and non-scripted TV, film, documentaries, and podcasting." However, it neglects to mention the couple's big money production deal with Netflix, which they signed just months after they quit their royal roles.
The couple's most successful Netflix project to date has been their docuseries, simply titled Harry & Meghan, where they made a series of accusations against the royals and criticised how they were treated. Harry alleged that William left him terrified after screaming and shouting at him during the Sandringham summit. He also claimed in the controversial six-part series that Kensington Palace “lied to protect my brother” when it issued a statement denying a story William had bullied him out of the royal family and he accused Charles of lying at the tense Megxit crisis meeting with the Queen in January 2020.
Other projects such as the documentaries Live to Lead and The Heart of Invictus weren't as successful and the couple are now believed to have several projects with the streaming giant in the works - although these are not mentioned on the site and neither is their multi-million dollar deal with the firm.
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