Meghan and Harry have allegedly upset the late Queen with a statement that subtly expressed their discontent towards other family members. Recent attention has been drawn to the Duchess for incorporating her royal cipher into the branding of her lifestyle company, As Ever. This is not the first instance where discussions have arisen over the couple leveraging their royal status in commercial ventures.
In the promotion of their new Christmas collection, Meghan is depicted at her workspace with a notebook featuring her royal cipher in gold lettering. The monogram, showcasing the letter M topped with a coronet, was unveiled prior to her marriage to Harry in 2018. Additionally, Meghan has introduced a new candle, No 519, in honor of their wedding anniversary. The product description highlights that the candle is inspired by the happiness and ease of Meghan’s treasured memories from her wedding day on May 19th.
The decision to continue using the royal cipher has sparked criticism from supporters of the monarchy, questioning Meghan’s persistence in utilizing the symbol despite her previous grievances within the institution, as reported by Express US. Notably, royal author Tom Bower has indicated that senior royals and Buckingham Palace officials have long been concerned about the commercialization of the monarchy.
Tensions reportedly escalated when Harry and Meghan were compelled to abandon their aspirations with the “SussexRoyal” brand. The Duke and Duchess withdrew from their royal duties in March 2020 to achieve financial independence. Prior to this, the couple expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision-making process and treatment compared to other royals in a statement on their official website. They asserted that the monarch had no authority to restrict them from using the term ‘royal.’
Bower criticized the couple’s statement as “spiteful” and “offensive to the Queen,” suggesting that it thinly veiled the Sussexes’ underlying resentment towards other family members and included subtle jabs at Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. The statement further outlined a 12-month review period for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, emphasizing the unique circumstances surrounding their employment outside the royal institution.
Initially, Harry and Meghan embraced the Sussex Royal brand in 2019 when they established a separate household from Prince William and Princess Kate, known as Kensington Royal. Their Instagram account, @sussexroyal, had garnered 11.2 million followers, matching the support base of William and Kate’s account. However, the Queen and senior officials later determined that the couple would need to relinquish their title, given their decision to step back from royal duties.
A source highlighted that the Queen’s decision was inevitable due to the couple’s altered status. While the Sussexes remain cherished members of the royal family, their pursuit of commercial opportunities and lack of official duties necessitated the discontinuation of marketing themselves as royals.