In a significant alteration, Gert’s Royals announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the official website of the royal family in the UK has been revamped to include four additional official websites. This update comes in the wake of the removal of Prince Harry’s “His Royal Highness” (HRH) title from the website earlier in August.
The revamped “Royal Websites” menu on the Royal.UK page now offers seamless navigation to The Royal Collection Trust, The Prince’s Trust (King Charles’ charity dedicated to at-risk youth), The Royal Foundation (the charity of Prince William and Kate Middleton), and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (a youth awards initiative championed by Prince Philip and now led by Prince Edward, the new Duke of Edinburgh).
Prominently displayed atop the page, the drop-down menu was introduced alongside another novel feature. By clicking on “Their Majesties’ work as Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall,” visitors are directed to a compilation of speeches, messages, press releases, and news, drawn from the Clarence House website.
While King Charles and Queen Camilla continue their stay at Clarence House, the couple is set to remain there until Charles’ impending ascension in September 2022. Notably, following Queen Elizabeth’s demise, it was declared that the official Royal Family social media profiles would be utilized instead. However, the Clarence House accounts on Twitter and Instagram, while still accessible, have been frozen, now directing users to follow @theroyalfamily for updates on King Charles III and Queen Consort.
Despite the transition, the Royal.UK website is yet to be fully revised, with certain content still referencing Queen Elizabeth as the reigning monarch. The delay in these updates has been attributed to the sheer volume of information present on the website, spanning over five thousand pages.
Buckingham Palace offered insight into the situation, stating, “Following the death of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, content has been revisited and updated periodically. Some content may be out of date until this process is complete.”
Notably, these changes in the royal family’s online presence emerge just two weeks after Prince Harry’s HRH title was expunged from his biography. Specifically, two references to the appellation were purged from his page between August 4 and August 9. These references were associated with his endeavors in 2016 to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. While Prince Harry was bestowed the title of “the Duke” or “the Duke of Sussex” following his marriage to Meghan Markle in May 2018, the removal of the HRH title signifies another evolution in the dynamics of the British royal family.
In the ever-evolving landscape of the royal realm, these updates underscore the meticulous adjustments being made to reflect the shifting roles and titles within the monarchy. The revised online platform further demonstrates the monarchy’s adaptability in the face of transformation and change.