As part of their reduced role within the royal household, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are changing their media strategy.
Through a snazzy website, illustrated with a photo of the couple walking among redwoods, the sought-after pair on Wednesday laid out a vision of how they will handle their relations with the media in the future.
In a bid to reshape and broaden access to their work, the couple said on their website they would engage with specialist media and young, up-and-coming journalists, and drop out of the Royal Rota system, a 40-year-old channel for exclusive access to British print and media outlets.
The change means they can communicate directly with the wider public and share images through their own channels including their Instagram account @sussexroyal, which has more than 10 million followers rather than having to rely on designated U.K. media outlets.
After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said on their site. We intend to step back as senior members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.
The couple have been open about the pain the intense media scrutiny has caused them, with certain media that have vilified her almost daily, Prince Harry said last year.
Like other members of the British royal family, Harry and Meghan have their own in-palace press team running point on their affairs, led by former Hillary Clinton adviser Sara Latham.
Their newly launched website provides a deep trove of information about the Sussexes, from their funding to their relations with the media. A note on the site says it was created by Toronto-based digital agency Article, whose website lists famed fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg and the NBA as clients. The site is registered by GoDaddy.com and was built using the WordPress template Bucky.
The worlds most in-demand couple have also previously turned to communications firm Sunshine Sachs for advice.
Sunshine Sachs is well known in the entertainment industry for representing Hollywood royalty including Leonardo DiCaprio (LDC as he is now known) and Jane Fonda, with a large chunk of their business spent working with foundations such as Times Up and Human Rights Campaign. DiCaprio has also established his own foundation focusing on the environment.
Markle, a native of Los Angeles and former star of the TV legal drama Suits, used the publicists at Sunshine Sachs for years before she joined the royal family and still seeks occasional, unofficial counsel from partner Keleigh Thomas Morgan, said a person with knowledge of the situation, who was not authorized to speak publicly.
The firm, which has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., is not currently retained by the Sussexes and was not involved in Wednesdays announcement, the person said.
Sunshine Sachs previously worked on Markles Vogue editorial and Harrys eco-travel initiative Tavalyst. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not respond to requests for comment. Sunshine declined to comment. Some think the firm could be tapped to work on the couples new charitable foundation.
