Meghan Markle and Prince Harry fans duped by fake ‘official’ website cashing in on Megxit with Sussex merch
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry fans have been duped by a fake "official" website cashing in on Megxit by offering Sussex merchandise and trips to Windsor Castle.
The site, named Meghan Online, promises to be the Sussexes' "presence on the internet", after the pair stepped back from royal life.
The homepage of meghanonline.com features a sparkling jewel-encrusted crown underneath tabs for the merchandise store and special member access options.
A confident welcome message from the "online team" says: "Meghan Online is our presence on the internet, to promote the work, products and services of Meghan Markle in her role as a mother, wife and citizen of the world, first and foremost."
It also promises:
- A Sussex podcast
- Special MOTV channel and Meghan app
- "Meghan Store" to open on March 1 with 50% merch discount
- Monthly newsletter promoting charity work
- Competitions to win trips to Windsor Castle and London
It has already fooled royal fans who are in a frenzy Meghan has launched her own money-making website.
One excitedly said: "Meghanonline web site it says she's got a social App coming out in March."
The website plans to run competitions for royal fans to win trips to London and Windsor Castle.
It has also set up a shameless Twitter account, which uses Meghan's picture, features a crown and says it's a "Meghan and Harry Online site".
But despite appearing to be an official website, buried within the terms and conditions of the website is an admission it has NO connection to the Sussexes.
Advertisers are invited to apply to feature on the site, lured in by the claims made about other websites "selling vast numbers of items linked in some way to the Sussex name".
It constantly mentions "we", as if the message is coming personally from Harry and Meghan to dupe potential paying companies.
With the .com domain name aimed at the lucrative US market, the site is set to rake in huge sums of cash from unwitting American fans of the royal pair.
It even mirrors the phrases Meghan and Harry have used on social media, and their approach of focusing on a theme every month on Instagram.
To appeal to the market overseas the website also uses American spellings, despite appearing to have been created in the UK.
It has carefully been set up to look like the Sussexes have been involved in creating the website, promising prominent coverage of the pair's charity work.
But users are directed to its dedicated "Meghan Store" ready to be up and running at 9am on March 1. It offers 50 per cent off mystery royal-themed "every day" items for sale as an introductory offer.
Fans will also have the option to donate to the charities supported by Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, and somehow send personal messages to them.
There will be a rolling MOTV channel on Meghan, and a blog detailing what she is up to daily.
The site also boasts that special content will be sent straight to subscriber's phones through a Meghan app.
It is unclear who is behind it, but hidden in the terms and conditions there is a confession it is a "privately owned website" with no connection to the Royal Family or the Duke and Duchess.
Meghan Online is our presence on the internet, to promote the work, products and services of Meghan Markle in her role as a mother, wife and citizen of the world, first and foremost.
menghanonline.com
Fooled fans, duped by the fake site, today blasted: "I have a question are Harry & Meghan allowed to merch Windsor castle to get people to register on their new website Meghan Online?"
And another confused person wrote: "She doesn't need a go fund me she has meghanonline going live on 1st March selling products."
A furious Twitter user fooled by the announcement added: "What's this? A 'Meghan Online' Store without Harry?
"She's already easing him into the back picture? Wow. And he's walking around blind and dumb to this."
Set up this year, the website background is almost the exact same shade of light blue as Harry and Meghan's official website, and uses a similar font in boxouts.
It is not yet fully launched, but encourages fans to sign up now for all the "latest news" on Meghan.
Embedded in the terms and conditions is a London phone number, and two email addresses listed as admin@www.theduchessofsussex.com and dpo@theduchessofsussex.com.
But any attempt to visit theduchessofsussex.com results in a webpage stating the domain is for sale, and no trademark or patent for either website appears to exist.
The people behind the site claim the site was developed years ago "in various forms", but this website was only registered recently this year.
They told the Sun Online they do not use branding belonging to Harry and Meghan, adding: "We have taken great care to make it clear on the site, also in our website terms and conditions, that we are a site owned privately, with no official affiliation or commercial agreements or otherwise, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex."
But until reading this at the very bottom of the terms and conditions, it is not made clear, and reads like it has been created in partnership with Meghan and Harry.
The owners of the site confirmed it is a "commercial organisation" that will "promote a range of goods and services", as well as promoting news about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The Sun Online has gone to Buckingham Palace for comment.
MEGHAN ONLINE CLAIMS TO INCLUDE:
- A 'Meghan Store' to open on March 1 at 9am
- A Monthly newsletter and discount of 50 per cent on items
- A Sussex podcast - launching March 2020
- An MOTV Channel where subscribers will be able to leave video messages
- The chance to win trips to London and Windsor Castle
- Access to all information concerning the charitable work and organisations "benefitting from Harry and Meghan's work", with the option to donate
- A news page featuring the "latest news, announcements and information concerning the charities we support as well as the work undertaken by Harry and Meghan"
- A Meghan app set to be launched in March 2020
Meghan previously ran her own blog, The Tig, but wiped it entirely when she became engaged to Harry.
When the couple announced they would be stepping down as senior royals in January, a new website - sussexroyal.com - went live detailing their plans for the future.
But this week the couple withdrew applications to trademark Sussex Royal, after the Queen banned them from using the word "royal".
They vowed to shelve plans to protect the brand in the UK and make a mint from their self-styled royal handle.
And as part of the Megxit deal, Harry must ditch his honorary military positions for at least 12 months.
They have been allowed to keep their HRH titles but have been forced to accept that they will not use them publicly.
ROYAL NO MORE
The pair released an extraordinary statement after this was confirmed detailing what their life outside the Royal Family will look like.
But the 1,114 word post on their Sussex Royal website sparked claims the couple are "very unhappy" with their Megxit agreement.
The Sussexes have already agreed to repay the £2.4million of taxpayers’ money used to refurbish their Frogmore Cottage home in Windsor and are expected to pay a commercial rent for it of about £30,000 a month.
The Sussexes are expected to be in Britain regularly over the next few months with Harry at an Invictus Games event with rock star Jon Bon Jovi on February 28.
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They will attend the Endeavour Fund awards on March 5 and the Duke will be at Silverstone with F1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton the following day.
The pair will be at the Mountbatten Festival of Music on March 7 and Meghan will mark International Women’s Day the next day.
The couple will also join the Queen and the Royal Family for the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9.
