Harry and Meghan 'stripped of use of Sussex Royal branding'

19 February 2020, 08:03

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been stripped by the Queen of their right to use of the label "Sussex Royal" following their decision to step down from official duties.

The Daily Mail reported today that the Queen and senior officials have agreed it is no longer tenable for the couple to keep the word ‘royal’ in their branding.

Harry and Meghan's popular Instagram account uses the name Sussex Royal, as does a website set up by the couple after their decision to quit the monarchy in favour of financial freedom.

But a royal source said that the decision was still subject to ongoing discussions, saying the future use of the term by Harry and Meghan "needed to be reviewed."

"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 said.

"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 organisation."

The Sussexes are living in Canada with their baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor as they prepare to drop their HRH styles and quit the monarchy.

Buckingham Palace said their new life away from royal duties would begin in the spring of this year.

Harry and Meghan first used the Sussex Royal name when they created their own household, following a split from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Kensington Palace.

Harry and Meghan sought to register Sussex Royal as a global trademark for their ‘brand’ including a range of items and activities, clothing, stationery, books and teaching materials.

The ‘fine detail’ of the arrangement is still being worked out, the Mail reported.

The Sussexes' Instagram page, @sussexroyal, has 11.2million followers – the same number of fans as William and Kate's account.

The couple launched a new website last month to coincide with their announcement. It states on the site: “Welcome to the Sussex Royal community, your source for information on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”