Harry and Meghan’s February 2024 launch of Sussex.com prompted accusations that its titles and royal imagery conflicted with the terms or spirit of their departure from royal duties. But the public record does not show Buckingham Palace formally finding that the website breached royal rules. The Palace’s 2020 statement addressed their working status and use of HRH titles; it did not say that the Duke and Duchess titles or the word “Sussex” were barred from a later website.
What changed when Sussex.com launched?
In February 2024, the couple introduced Sussex.com under the heading “The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.” The site used their titles and a coat-of-arms graphic. ABC News reported that the previous Sussex Royal website redirected visitors to the new site, following earlier use of the Archewell identity. (ABC News Australia, 14 February 2024; PerthNow, 14 February 2024)
The Royal Family’s current profile identifies Harry and Meghan as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, notes that they stepped back as working members in 2020, and links to Sussex.com as their official website. (The Royal Family: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex)
What did the 2020 Palace statement say?
Buckingham Palace’s statement of 18 January 2020 said the couple would step back from royal duties and would no longer formally represent the Queen. It also stated: “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.” (The Royal Family, 18 January 2020)
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That public statement specifically addresses HRH titles and working status. It does not say that Harry and Meghan could not use their Duke and Duchess titles or the word “Sussex” on a website. The Royal Family profile says Queen Elizabeth II gave them their titles on their wedding day and continues to list those titles alongside their non-working status. (The Royal Family: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex)
What were critics alleging—and what is established?
A 14 February 2024 PerthNow report attributed criticism to royal-household sources who argued that the branding could conflict with the departure arrangement or use royal status for commercial gain. A source close to Harry and Meghan countered: “Prince Harry and Meghan are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. That is a fact. It is their surname and family name.” The report said Buckingham Palace declined to comment. These are attributed positions, not an official ruling. (PerthNow, 14 February 2024)
The Independent separately reported concerns that the website blurred the couple’s past and present royal status, and reported that Meghan praised the designers. Its account, like the PerthNow report, documents criticism rather than a formal finding that the site broke an agreement. (The Independent, 14 February 2024)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did the rebrand breach royal rules?
The careful answer is that Harry and Meghan were accused of breaching the arrangement, but the public sources cited here do not establish that they were officially found to have done so. The 2020 statement sets out the public position on HRH titles and representing the Queen; the reports record critics’ claims about the new website and a response from a source close to the couple. The Palace’s reported refusal to comment is not confirmation of either side’s interpretation.
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