Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may be experiencing “internal conflict” following their controversial rebrand, a royal expert has claimed. The couple recently replaced their Archewell website with Sussex.com, which features a large photo of them and the text: “The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex”.
They also changed their logo from a calligraphed H and M to their coat of arms, approved by the late Queen in 2018 for their wedding. Kensington Palace explained that the shield’s blue background symbolises the Pacific Ocean off California, while the two golden rays represent the sunshine of Meghan’s home state. The three quills stand for “communication and the power of words”.
Reports suggest that Harry and Meghan, along with their children Archie and Lilibet, are now using the surname Sussex instead of Mountbatten-Windsor. Royal expert Jennie Bond told OK magazine that this “modern move” has effectively distanced them from their UK and US-based relatives, indicating a “fresh start” for Meghan.
“It’s a further declaration of their independence, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” she said. “But it still seems to me that there is an internal conflict going on. They want separation from the royal family and yet they want titles for themselves and their children.”
One of the main criticisms being aimed at the pair is that they have used the rebrand to emphasise their royal status – while also failing to make any mention of the Royal Family.
Harry’s biography on the new website doesn’t mention the monarchy or his connection to it. Instead, it describes him as “a humanitarian, military veteran, mental health advocate and environmental campaigner”.
Further down the biography, Harry speaks of his “unflinching honesty” about his tell-all memoir Spare. He famously made several accusations and negative comments about his family in the book, which has caused more tension between the couple and the royals.
Meghan, on the other hand, is simply referred to as the Duchess of Sussex and described, in part, as a “feminist and champion of human rights and gender equity”. In her profile, the only mention of the Royal Family reads: “In 2018, Meghan married Prince Harry, becoming the Duchess of Sussex.”
