Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex announced their new brand, Archewell, replacing Sussex Royal after they were prohibited from using it, but some royal fans and critics believe that the timing of their announcement was in poor taste.
Prince Harry and Meghan could no longer use the Sussex Royalname
When Prince Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping back from their royal duties, part of their agreement was to cease the use of the Sussex Royal name.
The Sussexes released a statement on Feb. 21 that gave more detailsabout how they wouldn’t usethe ‘Sussex Royal’ name. “While The Duke and Duchess are focused onplans to establish a new non-profit organisation, given the specific UKgovernment rules surrounding the use of the word ‘Royal,’ it has been thereforeagreed that their non-profit organisation will not utilise the name ‘SussexRoyal’ or any other iteration of ‘Royal,’” the statement onthe couple’s website noted.
The couple clarified, “While there is not any jurisdictionby The Monarchy or Cabinet Office over the use of the word ‘Royal’ overseas,The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use ‘Sussex Royal’ or anyiteration of the word ‘Royal’ in any territory (either within the UK orotherwise) when the transition occurs Spring 2020.”
Prince Harry and Meghan announced Archewell
On Apr. 6, Prince Harry and Meghan announced their upcomingbrand, Archewell. The couple explained to The Telegraph that their newnon-profit organization would “do something of meaning, to do something that matters.”
The name Archewell was inspired by their son’s name, ArchieHarrison. “Before SussexRoyal, came the idea of ‘Arche’ — the Greek wordmeaning ‘source of action.’ We connected to this concept for thecharitable organisation we hoped to build one day, and it became theinspiration for our son’s name,” Prince Harry and Meghan told The Telegraph.
They continued, “Archewell is a name that combines anancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deepresources we each must draw upon.”
The Sussexes had to announce the brand but will delay its launch
Prince Harry and Meghan also explained that they won’t yet launchthe brand because of the current coronavirus pandemic. “Like you, our focus ison supporting efforts to tackle the global COVID-19 pandemic,” they noted.
The couple felt they had to make the announcement, however, as The Telegraph had reported that paperwork for their new brand had been filed in the United States. “Faced with this information coming to light, we felt compelled to share the story of how this came to be,” they shared. “We look forward to launching Archewell when the time is right.”
Royal fans and critics weren’t happy with the timing
While Prince Harry and Meghan addressed why it was necessary to announce their new brand, the timing didn’t sit well with everyone.
One Twitter user noted: “I’m side eye this whole thing. They want people to focus on the coronavirus but they announced the name of their foundation? Yeah, attention seeking at its finest.”
Kathie Gyngell, the editor of The Conservative Woman, tweeted: “Couldn’t they have waited? Deeply inappropriate time.”
Another Twitter user slammed the couple, sharing: “I don’t really think it was sensible timing to announce this while we’re in the midst of a pandemic. It just makes them appear more detached from reality and the struggles that the everyday person is going through.”
Royal expert Phil Dampier, who wrote the book Royally Suited: Harry and Meghan in Their Own Words, weighed in on the matter. “It’s appalling timing, I would say. It was the worst possible timing,” he told MailOnline. “If I were Harry and Meghan I would have laid low until this situation (coronavirus) was over.”
He added, “People everywhere are really concerned withdealing with this and it does not look good, however good the cause is.”
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