What does the enormous work announcement that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are making about their upcoming family responsibilities say? Experts weigh in
After a rollercoaster year of Netflix shows, boardroom battles, fashion week cameos and family health struggles, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are ending 2025 on a transformative note.
Addressing the future of their most precious work project in a rare joint statement, Meghan and Harry confirmed this week that their shared charity, the Archewell Foundation, will be renamed Archewell Philanthorpies – five years after its inception. While a simple name change might seem insignificant on the surface, experts say the Sussexes’ strategic statement is oozing with tells on the couple’s next steps – particularly at a time where they are facing rumours of divorce, as well as rampant calls for their royal titles to be stripped.
Announcing the news, a spokeswoman for Harry and Meghan said: “This next chapter allows Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to broaden their global philanthropic efforts as a family, with meaningful reach and maximum impact, grounded in the same values, partnerships, and their commitment to show up and do good.”
With the couple’s statement making direct reference to “family” and their royal titles, experts across the PR, communications and royal world have all noted that the duke and duchess are projecting a defiant, doubled down image as they head into 2026…
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Before the Sussexes self-exiled from royal life and moved to America in 2020, they were frustrated that Buckingham Palace had thrwarted their plans to develop their “SussexRoyal” brand. After the late Queen made it clear that a “half in, half out” deal was not on the table – meaning the couple couldn’t use their working royal status for monetary gain – the couple stepped down from duties altogether, in favour of pursuing charitable and commercial projects in the States. And one of the first ventures they set up was their Archewell project.
Reacting to the announcement, Mayah Riaz, PR to the stars, tells the Mirror: “From a branding perspective, this is a smart and I’d say quite deliberate evolution rather than a reinvention. Moving from ‘Foundation’ to ‘Philanthropies’ signals scale, maturity and longevity. In branding terms, it’s a way of future proofing the name as their work expands beyond individual projects.She added: “I also think there is a reputational message here. ‘Philanthropies’ feels more global, more institutional and less personal. That can be helpful for Harry and Meghan at this stage, as it shifts the focus away from them as personalities and more towards impact, outcomes and credibility.
The five-year mark is important, Timing wise. Five years is typically when you either secretly fade or consciously level up in celebrity and public figure branding. They appear to be claiming to be committed to this for the long run. This is about narrative control, in my opinion, which is the most important lesson. They are defining the next chapter on their terms by changing the brand’s definition right now. More important than legacy-related items are creating a global social impact brand that reflects who they are as a family and as business owners in the US and beyond.
But for communications expert Judi James, it’s a different story. She believes the inclusion of “Duke and Duchess of Sussex” in the statement is a clear signal that the couple are “clinging on” to their royal status, amid claims that Prince William could strip them of their titles when he becomes king. Judi said of the statement: “There is a star-role reference to their royal titles which, given speculation about them being removed, reads like a very emphatic clinging or laying claim to.”
The pro argued that “there should be no “show up, do no harm” as a “mission statement,” making it as specific and unmeasurable as possible for everyone to add their own interpretation if they so choose. Although it’s repeated, they seem to like it, perhaps informing the fans that when the Sussexes are present, they should assume that they’re doing well, in some way in the vein of superheroes.
What does she ponder about how to “largen our efforts as a family”? Is it a kind of professional renewal of their vows? They might be joined at the hip but working more together, or they might be double the workload by performing more solo shows, but they want to make sure their marital bliss is still intact.
The word “family” could, of course, have a wider application in this context because it implies a very thin reference or hint of a UK mothership return. The notion of “widening” might be read as a sliver of a hint about any terms that might work after their titles have been highlighted. Instead of being an open overture, it is just a sliver.
The announcement has divided royal experts, too. Jennie Bond, former royal editor at the BBC, told us: “Personally, I don’t think it’s a very good idea to change the name of a charity after just five years. It takes a long time for a charity to get embedded in people’s minds. The Archewell Foundation has become quite well known and, to my mind, sounds distinguished.
Because I don’t understand what the word “philanthropies” means, I was forced to look it up. I’ve never heard it before, actually. I fully understand “philanthropy,” of course, but I find the new title to be a bit confusing. also unneeded. However, the charity does good work, so I believe everyone should congratulate it on its new beginning. I predict that over time, we’ll get used to it.
Meanwhile, royal commentator Afua Acheampong-Hagan said: “I think [it’s a breakaway from royal past]. Philanthropy is a very sort of American word and I think it reinforces that they are doing this completely outside the Royal Family, which of course, they have been doing for five years. They use their titles absolutely, because they have them and why shouldn’t they? I think that’s absolutely fair enough.”
Source: Mirror
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