Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s hopes of cashing in on the royal name in the US has been dealt a blow, with Her Majesty the Queen deciding to refuse them the ability to market themselves under the Sussex Royal brand.
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The couple, who shocked the world by leaving the ranks of the senior royals to resettle in North America, have extensively used the brand name on their website, with plans to use it in future money-making efforts reportedly well advanced. Now the Queen has put a stop to all of that.
The couple have spent tens of thousands of dollars on building the brand, which will now have to be junked. They will also have to rebrand their charity, Sussex Royal, The Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
While they won’t be thrilled about the news, the Daily Mail reports that the couple have accepted they have to make the changes.
‘This will be humiliating for Meghan and Harry, but they really don’t have any choice in the matter,’ says a royal source. ‘The royal branding could earn them many millions of dollars in the US, but they will now need to rethink everything.
‘Pretty soon they could just be celebrities and nothing more.’
Indicating the success of the brand they now have to say goodbye to, their @sussexroyal Instagram account has drawn 11.2million followers.
They have sought trademark applications for Sussex Royal products including bandanas and notebooks.
A source told the Daily Mail: ‘In many ways this is inevitable given their decision to step down, but it must surely come as a blow to the couple as they have invested everything into the Sussex Royal brand The Queen would have had little choice, however.
‘The Sussexes’ original plan – of being half-in, half-out working royals – was never going to work. Obviously, as the Queen has made clear, they are still much-loved members of her family.
‘But if they aren’t carrying out official duties and are now seeking other commercial opportunities, they simply cannot be allowed to market themselves as royals.’
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