8 months ago
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If there’s one thing the Buckingham Palace courtiers love to do, it’s mess with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s profiles on royal.uk, the official website of the British royal family. In previous years, BP webmasters have played stupid games with vanishing and reappearing royal titles and HRHs. Let’s not forget the seven-weeks-long delay in adding Princess Lilibet to the line of succession list online, nor the delay in adding Lili and Archie’s titles last year. All of the updates and games were always very stupid and petty, and a very obvious effort to “create a story” of the Windsors snubbing the Sussexes, especially their children.
So, I thought this latest story would be another dumbf–k “let’s focus on how Buckingham Palace is snubbing the Sussexes on royal.uk again” deflection from the Waleses’ sh-tshow. But no, it’s not like that at all? While royal.uk merged Harry and Meghan’s profiles into one page (they used to have individual pages), the palace webmaster added flattering photos of Harry & Meghan and added the palace’s statements about Harry and Meghan “stepping back” from being working royals. Even more fascinating is that royal.uk now links to sussex.com, with this statement: “Information about the current work of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex can be found on their official website: sussex.com.”
Also notable: the palace webmaster isn’t playing fast and loose with their titles. The page notes, “The Duke and Duchess were given their titles by Queen Elizabeth II on the day of their marriage.” The palace clarifies that Harry is “The Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel. He was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) by Queen Elizabeth II in June 2015.” Meghan is “The Duchess of Sussex, Countess of Dumbarton and Baroness Kilkeel.” While there should be HRHs attached, once again, Harry and Meghan have “voluntarily” decided not to use them.
Again, while all of this is being promoted in the British media as a snub, it doesn’t actually look that way to me? Harry and Meghan’s bios/pages were merged, as if the palace has made their peace with the fact that the Sussex marriage is fine and Meghan can’t be “removed.” They linked to sussex.com, almost like sussex.com has the king’s stamp of approval? It’s a hell of a thing. Super-curious.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 03: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 03, 2022 in London, England. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.,Image: 696611774, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dan Kitwood / Avalon
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, Friday, June 3, 2022 on the second of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee. The events over a long holiday weekend in the U.K. are meant to celebrate the monarch’s 70 years of service.,Image: 696614407, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Matt Dunham / Avalon
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, Friday, June 3, 2022 on the second of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee. The events over a long holiday weekend in the U.K. are meant to celebrate the monarch’s 70 years of service.,Image: 696621832, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Matt Dunham / Avalon
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrive for the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 03, 2022 in London, England. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.,Image: 696678032, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: ARTHUR EDWARDS / Avalon
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrive for the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 03, 2022 in London, England. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.,Image: 696678053, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: ARTHUR EDWARDS / Avalon
** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, CANADA ** Sydney, AUSTRALIA – The Duke of Sussex and Duchess of Sussex visit Bondi Beach in Sydney on Day Four of the Royal Tour. Meghan Markle looks glowing just days after announcing her pregnancy with Prince Harry.
Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
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** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, BRAZIL, CANADA ** Windsor, UNITED KINGDOM – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their baby son, who was born on Monday morning, during a photocall in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England.

Pictured: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

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** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex at the Justice Desk initiative in Nyanga township, Cape Town, South Africa, where they dance with locals.

Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Duchess of Sussex

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** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex are seen during a visit to a township to learn about Youth Employment Services (YES), which aims to tackle the critical issue of youth unemployment in South Africa by creating one million new work opportunities in the next three years.

Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle

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