Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have stopped using their "Sussex Royal" brand name since the spring of 2020. The couple originally planned to use the name after announcing their decision to step down from their royal roles, but they later agreed not to do so due to government rules.
The Sussexes also withdrew their application to trademark the SussexRoyal brand and had to close their popular Instagram account and website, which had the same name. Prince Harry and Meghan also had to change the name of their foundation, the Sussex Royal Foundation, now called Archewell.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's Original Plan to Use Sussex Royal Brand Name
According to BBC, being forbidden to use the brand name was something the pair didn't expect.
In the statement they issued when they announced their departure, they talked about their plan to have a "progressive new role" in the royal family, collaborating with other royal family members, and "continuing to support Her Majesty the Queen."
They expected to have a hybrid role in the monarchy, half in and half out, doing royal duties and Commonwealth duties on their own terms while having their private lives.
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With the removal of the brand, the only royal that remains about them is their titles—the Duchess and Duchess of Sussex—and their connection to the royal family.
They no longer have public royal roles, military commands, or royal tours, and they're not even allowed to use the word "royal" itself.
SussexRoyal used to be their public face, brand, and social media name. Now, everything has changed since they left the monarchy.
Why Were Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Not Allowed to Use the Word' Royal'?
Cosmopolitan noted that if Prince Harry and Meghan are no longer working senior royals, it will be misleading if they continue using the term "royal" in commercial activities.
It's also out of Queen Elizabeth's hands. Though she might want her grandson to retain his role, it was beyond her scope. There are laws that prevent the misuse of the term "royal."
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Royal biographer Robert Hardman revealed the late monarch's stand about it.
"The Queen is actually governed by several pieces of legislation, including the Trade Marks Act 1994 and even the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property of 1883," he said. "The Sussexes have not picked a fight with the Queen but with the law of the land."
There have been long legal disputes over the use of brands that have something to do with royalty.
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So, as Hardman puts it, it's just another case of "protecting the public from fraud and misrepresentation."
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