Meghan Markle Breaks Silence On Making Of Her Royal Website By A 'Special Company'

Meghan Markle has praised the creators of her and Prince Harry's newly launched website, Sussex.com. The former actress said the creators were a "very special company" with a "thoughtful approach to design."

It came after sources close to the royal house said the rebrand violated promises the Sussexes made to the late Queen Elizabeth II upon stepping down from their senior royal role in 2020. A royal expert also claimed that the rebranding was ill-timed.

Following criticism about the Sussexes' website rebrand, Meghan has come out to praise the "talented team" behind its creation.

The Sussex.com website was reportedly created by Canadian agency Article, which also built the websites for Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions. The company was also the mind behind Meghan's now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig.

In a testimonial shared on the company's website, Meghan said that the "very special company" often goes far and beyond to fulfill the tastes of their clients.

She wrote, "There is a reason I have worked with Ryan and the talented team at Article for a decade: their attention to detail, their creativity and care, and the thoughtful approach to design as well as to the user experience."

The Duchess added: "They're not just designers; they are collaborators who elevate your ideas into visual identities. They're a very special company. Plus, they're Canadian, so I'm a fan."

According to reports, sources close to the royal household have claimed that the rebranding seems to go against the promises Harry and Meghan gave the late Queen when they stepped down from their senior royal roles in 2020.

It is believed that Buckingham Palace's Lord Chamberlain now faces a "big challenge" whether to take the matter up or "let it slide" to prevent the tense relationship between the Sussexes and the royal firm from worsening further.

Experts have also slammed the timing of the rebrand, which comes after Prince Harry's father, King Charles III, was diagnosed with cancer.

"The question is not whether it is their right to launch a new website Sussexes.com with their coat of arms and using their royal titles, but the extraordinary timing," said royal commentator  Richard Fitzwilliams.

He added, "Only a week ago, Harry was visiting his father, who, as we know, is fighting cancer. As members of the Royal Family, having stepped down from royal duties, it would surely be more sensitive and more sensible to leave their rebrand until later in the year."

Sussex.com was launched quietly on Monday by Harry and Meghan, replacing the couple's prior Sussexroyal.com. The website contains current information about them and their activities, including personal and official updates.

A visit to Sussex.com brings up a homepage that features a picture of the Duke and Duchess at the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany in its background, which the duo also used for their last year's holiday card.

A text on the homepage reads: "The office of Prince Harry & Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex."

As part of its content, the website contains links to learn more about Harry and Meghan and redirects to their Archewell Foundation organization and Archewell Productions hub.

Currently, Harry and Meghan are in Canada as part of their three-day visit to the country for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025's One Year to Go celebrations.

The visit was done for the duo to meet with participants in the nation's Winter Training Camp,  including team managers, coaches, and competitors. The gathering will also serve as an opportunity for stakeholders to immerse themselves in the experience of winter adaptive sports before the upcoming competition next year on February 8–16, 2025.

The 2025 Invictus Games will mark the first-ever winter sports edition, as previous ones were all held in the summer or autumn months. It will also feature the likes of alpine skiing, nordic skiing, wheel curling, and skeleton, in addition to the more typical sports like volleyball, swimming, basketball, and rugby.

Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel. Previous editions have been held in Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, and most recently in the Netherlands and Germany.