Queen 'orders Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to drop 'Sussex Royal' brand'

Sarah Carty
·Lifestyle Editor
Updated ·2-min read

The Queen has reportedly banned Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from using their ‘Sussex Royal’ brand after the couple stepped down as working royals.

According to the Daily Mail, the 93-year-old Queen and palace aides have decided that due to the Sussexes no longer residing in the UK or taking part in official royal duties, it no longer makes sense for them to keep using the word ‘royal’ in their brand.

Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 in London, England. The 100th birthday of the RAF, which was founded on on 1 April 1918, was marked with a centenary parade with the presentation of a new Queen's Colour and flypast of 100 aircraft over Buckingham Palace.
The Queen has reportedly banned Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from using their 'Sussex Royal' brand. Photo: Getty Images

Despite the 38-year-old Duchess of Sussex and 35-year-old Duke of Sussex recently launching a slick new Sussex Royal website to promote their work, it’s thought they will have to now totally rebrand, without any mention of ‘royal’ in their branding.

Harry and Meghan are known as @sussexroyal on Instagram and have tried to trademark Sussex Royal for a number of future endeavours they’re looking to undertake.

Harry and Meghan ‘axe all staff’

It comes after it was reported last week that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle axed all 15 of their staff in their Buckingham Palace office.

“Given their decision to step back, an office at Buckingham Palace is no longer needed, a source told the Daily Mail.

A handout photo made available by Buckingham Palace shows Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex (2-L) and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex (R) joined by her mother, Doria Ragland (2-R), as they show their newborn son, named as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to Queen Elizabeth II (C) and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (L) at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, Britain, 08 May 2019.MANDATORY CREDIT: Chris Allerton - copyright SussexRoyal
The Sussexes may have to wave goodbye to their Sussex Royal brand. Photo: Getty Images

“While the details are still being finalised and efforts are being made to redeploy people within the royal household, unfortunately there will be some redundancies.”

At the end of last month, it was reported that the Queen has ordered Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to come back to London for the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9.

If Meghan and Harry do return, it’ll likely be one of their last official royal engagements before stepping back to become ‘financially independent’.

Harry and Meghan step back

Last month, royal fans were left stunned when the royal couple, who married in May 2018, decided to quit the royal family and move to Canada.

"Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family," Queen Elizabeth said in a statement issued by the palace, referring to the couple's baby son.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary on December 1, 2017 in Nottingham, England. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement on Monday 27th November 2017 and will marry at St George's Chapel, Windsor in May 2018.
Last month, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked when they stepped back from their royal roles. Photo: Getty Images

"I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life."

The queen said she was "particularly proud" of how quickly Meghan had become one of the family.

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