Harry and Meghan Reportedly Banned From Using Royal Name for Commercial Ventures

No royal duties, no royal branding

sussex royal
The couple wants to profit off of the Sussex Royal brand.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Queen of England is apparently doing her damnedest to stop royal family ex-pats Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from profiting off their former royal title.

According to a lengthy new report from the Daily Mail, Harry and Meghan have been made aware that they will not be profiting from any royal branding. While the couple apparently took out a variety of copyright protections on products and services under the title “Sussex Royal” well before announcing their plans to depart the royal family, the palace is not about to let the couple profit off the royal title they’ve abandoned.

A source reportedly told the Daily Mail that if Harry and Meghan “aren’t carrying out official duties and are now seeking other commercial opportunities, they simply cannot be allowed to market themselves as royals,” and while the palace has yet to comment on the report, a source told the Daily Beast that “discussions are ongoing.”

Harry and Meghan launched the website sussexroyal.com shortly after announcing their royal departure, signaling that they intended to use the name — which already headed their Instagram account and charity foundation — for their post-royal commercial pursuits. According to the most recent royal rumors, however, the couple won’t be making any money off anything “royal” if the queen can prevent it.

Meanwhile, the “Sussex Royal” drama doesn’t seem like it will pose too much of a threat to the couple’s post-royal financial future, with Harry reportedly in talks with Goldman Sachs and netting $1 million for a speaking engagement with JP Morgan. Somehow I think these two will be just fine.

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