Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Have Options Even With a Ban on Sussex Royal

It has been officially confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not continue to use Sussex Royal as their brand. According to The Guardian, there is a ban to keep the couple from using the word "royal" in their brand beginning in the spring of 2020. A spokesman for the couple said Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will no longer use the word "royal" as instructed by Queen Elizabeth.

Hours after the announcement of a ban on Sussex Royal, a statement was posted on Prince Harry and Meghan's website that reads: "While there is not any jurisdiction by The Monarchy or Cabinet Office over the use of the word "Royal" overseas, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use "Sussex Royal" or any iteration of the word "Royal" in any territory (either within the UK or otherwise) when the transition occurs Spring 2020." The statement shows that the couple does not agree with the ban, they have agreed to stop using the word "royal" to market themselves.

It has been reported that the decision to ban the name is protocol and not personal. It just wouldn't be right for the couple to market themselves as royals when they voluntarily stepped down from being royals. They will no longer represent the Queen after they conclude the assignments they already had scheduled before they relinquished their royal positions. The bottom line is that they can't have it both ways. They can't be private citizens in one way and royals in another way.

Last Royal Assignment

Prince Harry and his family are now living in Canada. Harry's grandmother Queen Elizabeth has requested their presence at the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9. This will be the last official appearance of Prince Harry and Meghan as royals along with other members of the family. They will be in the UK for 12 days.

On March 31, they will become financially independent. That will be exactly one year after they registered their Sussex Royal website and set up an Instagram account with the same name. Within six hours, they had millions of followers.

Even though it might be inconvenient to make all the changes, it is not impossible. Besides, the Sussexes have no other choice now that their trademark has been banned. As far as their website and Instagram account are concerned, it is just a matter of replacing Sussex Royal with another name.

The spokesperson for the Sussexes announced that their trademark applications that were filed in March 2019 as protective measures have been removed. Also, Prince Harry and Meghan will also no longer hold an office at Buckingham Palace. Instead, they will be represented by their United Kingdom charity foundation team.

Losses and Gains

Prince Harry said during a speech after stepping down that there was no other option. While he and his wife did give up some privileges, they gained some freedom.

Initially, it was reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would lose their HRH (His or Her Royal Highness) titles. Now, it has been determined that they can keep the titles, but they cannot use them on behalf of Queen Elizabeth.

They did not lose their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. Neither did they lose their titles of The Earl and Countess of Dumbarton and The Baron and Baroness Kilkeel. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's status in the Order of Precedence will not change.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to work closely with their existing patronages. They are establishing a new non-profit organization later this year. The themes of their causes will not change. They will be what Prince Harry and Meghan are still passionate about. The causes include community, women's issues, youth empowerment, and mental health

They gave up their office and loyal staff in Buckingham Palace. The employees will be reassigned to other areas if they choose to stay employed as royal staffers.

The statement makes it clear that Prince Harry did not lose his military titles including the rank of Major, honorary ranks of Lieutenant Commander, and Squadron Leader. However, he will not have assignments related to his ranks during the 12-month period while his departure is being reviewed.

Prince Harry still remains sixth in the line of succession to the throne That position will not change unless the Duke and Cambridge have more children. Harry was once third in line before Prince William and Katie Middleton had three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

The Duke of Sussex and his family are still entitled to public protection. The $6 million will be split between the United Kingdom and Canada where they now reside.

The couple lost thousands of dollars on building their Sussex Royal brand which includes registration fees for the name. They had intended to use that name to market adult clothing, baby clothing, stationery, bandanas, and other items filed under that brand.

Potential to Earn Millions

Without the Sussex Royal trademark, Prince Harry and his wife can still potentially earn millions. The couple has already made some major moves for their careers. On Thursday, February 6, both made their first public appearance together since they left the United Kingdom. They attended a private investment summit organized by American bank JPMorgan in Miami, Florida.

On Tuesday, February 11, they met with professors and officials at Stanford University in Northern California to discuss ideas about setting up a new charity. Prince Harry has also been in contact with Goldman Sachs, and Meghan is interested in doing voiceover for Disney among other interests. It has been reported that Netflix wants a partnership with them. They have the skills to work individually or as a couple. They will be successful no matter what they call their brand.