ROYAL NEWS
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in talks with Queen Elizabeth about calling themselves ‘royal’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex might not be able to brand themselves as Sussex Royal
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s plan to brand themselves as Sussex Royal might have hit a roadblock. According to HOLA! USA’s sister brand HELLO!, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently in discussions about whether they will continue to use “Sussex Royal” following their decision to step back from royal duties. A royal source told HELLO!: "As The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are stepping back as senior members of the Royal Family and will work towards financial independence, use of the word ‘Royal,’ in this context, needed to be reviewed. Discussions are still ongoing.”
“As part of the process to transition The Duke and Duchess of Sussex into their new chapter - planning has been well underway around the launch of their new non-profit organization. Details will be shared in due course,” the source added. Meghan and Harry already use “Sussex Royal” for their personal social media account, website and foundation.
The couple reportedly spent thousands on their website and applied to trademark Sussex Royal last June, which would cover an array of items and services, including clothing, footwear, caps, books, calendars, health and wellness training, social club services for entertainment purposes, arranging and conducting award ceremonies, publishing and much more. After splitting households from the Cambridges last year, the pair launched in April their personal social media account, Sussex Royal.
Meghan and Harry announced their decision to step back as senior members of the royal family last month. Following a summit with Queen Elizabeth, it was agreed that the Sussexes would no longer be working members of the family and that they would step back from royal duties. The pair will also no longer receive public funding, nor formally represent Her Majesty.
The Duke and Duchess, who recently let go of their UK staff and closed their Buckingham Palace office, are dividing their time between the UK and Canada, where they are currently renting a mansion on Vancouver Island. Since their royal exit, Meghan and Harry have surfaced in the states. The pair attended a JPMorgan event in Miami Beach where the Duke gave a speech. Days later, the royal couple popped up on the West Coast visiting California’s Stanford University for a brainstorming session with academics and professors.
