16 February 2024 , 07:00
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new sussex.com website has raised eyebrows, but there is one part in particular that royal experts took issue with.
As well as using their royal titles - the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - the new design features Meghan's coat of arms, which she had made for her royal wedding to Harry back in 2018. She worked with the College of Arms to make it just right, adding bits that mean a lot to her.
The shield's blue background stands for the Pacific Ocean by California, and the two golden stripes mean the sunny skies of Meghan's Los Angeles home. The three quills on the shield talk about how important words and talking are. But, experts on Royal history say that the symbol is old and not needed anymore. They also point out a detail that shows Harry as the grandchild of the monarch, not the son of the king.
Prince Harry has his own special design, and when you put his and Meghan's together, it makes a "conjugal coat of arms". But the palace never showed us their combined one.
Royal expert Hugo Vickers said: "The coat of arms used by the Sussexes is also outdated and redundant having five points of the label, signifying the grandchild of the monarch, rather than three points, denoting Harry as the King's son. There is a strong argument that this shouldn't be used at all, regardless of the version, the Sussexes are trading on their Royal connections which was explicitly against the terms of their departure from the Royal family."
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Coat of Arms for Meghan, The Duchess of SussexPrince Harry and Meghan Markle, known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have been accused of breaking their Royal promises by launching a new website that focuses heavily on their regal links. This big change comes four years after they chose to leave their royal positions. The late Queen banned from using the word 'royal' in their new ventures, stating there were not allowed to profit from the monarchy. Under the agreement with Buckingham Palace, the pair can use their Duke and Duchess titles but can't use HRH for their business affairs. When they gave up Royal life, it was made clear that "everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty".
After leaving the Royals behind to seek "financial freedom", Harry and Meghan secured big-money agreements with major companies including Netflix and Spotify, pocketing an estimated £100million. But their quiet launch of the Sussex.com website which showcases Meghan's coat of arms and refers to their children as a prince and princess has been called "extremely exploitative".
While Buckingham Palace hasn't said anything, The Mirror understands that Harry and Meghan didn't discuss this new project with palace officials beforehand.
Mr Vickers has slammed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, saying: "It goes against everything the Sussexes promised they would not do. They are trading on their royal titles and associations in every way you look at it. From the royal coat of arms used, to their Sussex titles to the titles of their children. It doesn't matter what parameters you judge it on, the man on the street would identify those behind the website as part of the royal family. It is exploitative in the extreme."
Harry and Meghan's new site keeps using their fancy Royal names. The name 'Archewell' comes from their son Archie - it mixes "arche", a Greek word that means beginning, with "well", which means a good place to find lots of something or to dig deep.
Their website links to the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions, which made Meghan's podcast "Archetypes". A big photo of Harry and Meghan from the 2023 Invictus Games closing ceremony is right on the front page, with words saying: "The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex".
The website says: "The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex is shaping the future through business and philanthropy." Both Harry and Meghan's parts talk about their kids as "Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet", which surprised a Royal insider. Meghan's bio calls her a fighter for human rights and women's rights. She says she's a "New York Times bestselling author" and one of the top women in the world. Just one line talks about her being married to Prince Harry.