14 February 2024 , 09:41
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Royal commentator Michael Cole has suggested the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's new website hasn't been well received at the Palace.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's previous site, Archewell, now automatically directs to 'Sussex.com'. Their new venture includes a picture of the couple with the text: "The Office of Prince Harry & Meghan, The Duke & Duchess of Sussex."
The royal commentator shared his opinion on Buckingham Palace's take on the new venture and explained how using royal titles for commercial gain could be illegal. Speaking to Kevin O’Sullivan and Alex Phillips on TalkTV's CrossTalk on the day the Duke and Duchess launched their new website, he said: “The first thing to be said about this is that it is illegal to use a royal title or the name of a royal residence for commercial purposes.
Harry and Meghan have launched a new website (Getty Images for Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023)
Harry and Meghan website has reportedly not been well received by the Palace (Getty Images for Global Citizen)"Now we will remember that when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex scooted off, first of all to Canada and then California which was their intended destination all the time, perhaps Meghan’s, it was made clear that they would retain the honorific titles Her Royal Highness, His Royal Highness - these three letters that are very big in royal circles but they were not to use them for any purpose.
“This will have gone down terribly badly at Buckingham Palace. We’re not quite sure how they intend to use this new website but it will be watched very very closely because any attempt to use it for commercial purposes will be frowned upon certainly in this country. It’s certainly just not on and it’s not what you do.
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“I think it’s another example of them being slightly tin-eared. If they want to build bridges, this is possibly the worst possible way they could do it, and it won’t go down well."
The new website features the couple's names along with a royal coat of arms. Their previous website Archewell, a name inspired by their son Archie, had replaced the couple's previously Sussex Royal brand after they quit royal duties.
On the 'about page, the website states: "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, patronages, ventures, and organisations which receive the support of the couple, individually and/or together."
Harry is described as a "humanitarian, military veteran, mental health advocate, and environmental campaigner", while Meghan is branded a "feminist and champion of human rights and gender equity" who has been named "one of the most influential women in the world", in individual biographies of the couple.
Watch CrossTalk, Monday to Friday from 1 to 3pm, on Freeview 237, Sky 522 and Virgin Media 606.