Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly have been banned going forward from using the branding “Sussex Royal” and must “re-brand.”
“After weeks of talks, the queen [Elizabeth II] and senior officials are believed to have told the couple the term ‘royal’ is inconsistent with their ‘branding,’ U.K.-based media correspondent Neil Sean shared with Fox News in a piece published Wednesday. (RELATED: Report: Meghan Markle And Kate Middleton’s Alleged Feud Really Between Prince Harry And Prince William)
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“This has not gone down well with the couple who truly thought they were fine with… re-branding themselves,” he added. “Now the queen has other plans, too, which will make the ongoing push to be [independent] harder than they first thought.” (RELATED: Report: Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Plan To Have At Least One More Child)
Sean continued, sharing that a palace source told him that the former “Suits” actress and Harry had “not banked on this move at all from the queen.”
“What she has effectively done is close down any type of royal branding,” the source added. “This will create problems, particularly in the U.S. where the term ‘royal’ means so much in terms of branding.”
The source concluded, “Now the bigger problem lies in how they plan to market themselves. Without the royal label attached, they don’t look as lucrative to bigger brands with mega-money. And don’t forget, they can’t speak about their lives and times within the royal household. So what does that leave them to talk about which is worth any value?”
It all comes after a royal source shared with People magazine that the former royals are currently having “ongoing discussions” about using the word “royal” as part of their brand.
“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,” the source told the outlet. “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 nonprofit organization,” the source added. “Details will be shared in due course.”
As previously reported, the royal couple made headlines last month when they announced plans to step away from their royal roles and become financially independent. Shortly after, the queen issued a statement releasing Harry and Markle of their duties, stating that they are “no longer working members of the Royal Family.”
