As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to transition out of the royal family, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced Friday they will drop “SussexRoyal” — and the use of the word “royal” period — from their upcoming nonprofit venture.
British tabloids had reported earlier in the week that, during the couple’s negotiations with senior royals over their decision to step back from their “working royal” roles, Queen Elizabeth II had objected to the couple’s continued use of the “royal” title.
“Over the last month and a half, The Duke and Duchess have remained actively involved in this process, which has understandably been saddening for The Duke and Duchess and their loyal staff, given the closeness of Their Royal Highnesses and their dedicated team,” their website states.
According to the statement on the couple’s website, the couple has dropped plans to trademark “SussexRoyal,” citing UK government rules surrounding the use of the word “royal.” The couple had originally attempted to trademark the term in order to prevent others from exploiting it, according to the Associated Press.
“The trademark applications that had been filed as protective measures, and that reflected the same standard trademarking requests as done for The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have been removed,” their office published Friday.
In addition, Prince Harry and Markle will not use “Sussex Royal” or any iteration of the word “royal” in any of their ventures after they finalize their transition from their Royal Family duties on March 31. (Their digital channels, including their website and their official Instagram account are all titled “SussexRoyal.”)
“In Spring 2020, their digital channels will be refreshed as they introduce the next exciting phase to you,” their website states.
This announcement follows the couple’s January decision to stop using their HRH titles and to stop receiving public funds. Though they will retain their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, they won’t publicly identify with the names, their office announced.
