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| Can Harry and Meghan keep ‘Sussex Royal’ brand after giving up royal responsibilities? | Can Harry and Meghan keep ‘Sussex Royal’ brand after giving up royal responsibilities? |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| LONDON — Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced this week that March 31 will be the day they officially give up their royal responsibilities. | LONDON — Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced this week that March 31 will be the day they officially give up their royal responsibilities. |
| Whether they can call themselves “royal” after that is shaping up to be one of the most contentious questions about their nontraditional future. | Whether they can call themselves “royal” after that is shaping up to be one of the most contentious questions about their nontraditional future. |
| “As The Duke and Duchess are stepping back as senior Members of the Royal Family, and will work towards financial independence, use of the word ‘Royal’ in this context needed to be reviewed,” a spokeswoman for the couple said in a statement. “Discussions are still ongoing; however, a change will be announced alongside the launch of their new nonprofit organization.” | “As The Duke and Duchess are stepping back as senior Members of the Royal Family, and will work towards financial independence, use of the word ‘Royal’ in this context needed to be reviewed,” a spokeswoman for the couple said in a statement. “Discussions are still ongoing; however, a change will be announced alongside the launch of their new nonprofit organization.” |
| The British tabloids took that to mean a change is definitively coming — that Harry and Meghan will have to abandon the “Sussex Royal” branding that they have been using to promote themselves on Instagram and their new website and that they reportedly wanted to trademark. | The British tabloids took that to mean a change is definitively coming — that Harry and Meghan will have to abandon the “Sussex Royal” branding that they have been using to promote themselves on Instagram and their new website and that they reportedly wanted to trademark. |
| The Daily Mail ran with the headline: “Queen BANS Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from using lucrative ‘Sussex Royal’ brand that they hoped to use to build new lives because ‘they simply cannot sell themselves as Royals.’ ” | The Daily Mail ran with the headline: “Queen BANS Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from using lucrative ‘Sussex Royal’ brand that they hoped to use to build new lives because ‘they simply cannot sell themselves as Royals.’ ” |
| But the situation is hardly simple. | But the situation is hardly simple. |
| Robert Lacey, a royal biographer, said a distinction is being teased out between “Royal” with a capital R and “royal” with a small r. | Robert Lacey, a royal biographer, said a distinction is being teased out between “Royal” with a capital R and “royal” with a small r. |
| Harry and Meghan aim to ‘step back’ as senior royals and split time between Britain and North America | Harry and Meghan aim to ‘step back’ as senior royals and split time between Britain and North America |
| Technically, the couple will still be royals. Prince Harry will still be a prince. He will still be sixth in line to inherit the throne from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. | Technically, the couple will still be royals. Prince Harry will still be a prince. He will still be sixth in line to inherit the throne from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. |
| He and Meghan will continue to be styled as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and, if they want, could also refer to themselves as the Earl and Countess of Dumbarton and the Baron and Baroness Kilkeel. | He and Meghan will continue to be styled as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and, if they want, could also refer to themselves as the Earl and Countess of Dumbarton and the Baron and Baroness Kilkeel. |
| But Harry and Meghan will no longer be considered “senior royals.” They will retain his and her “Royal Highness” titles but won’t be allowed to use them. | But Harry and Meghan will no longer be considered “senior royals.” They will retain his and her “Royal Highness” titles but won’t be allowed to use them. |
| Dickie Arbiter, the queen’s former press secretary, said they should have to drop “Sussex Royal,” too. | Dickie Arbiter, the queen’s former press secretary, said they should have to drop “Sussex Royal,” too. |
| “They are going commercial, and they can’t use the term ‘royal’ for commercial purposes,” he said. | “They are going commercial, and they can’t use the term ‘royal’ for commercial purposes,” he said. |
| They certainly have plenty of commercial potential. To take one example, British Vogue said its September issue, guest-edited by Meghan, sold out in 10 days and was the best-selling issue of the past decade. | They certainly have plenty of commercial potential. To take one example, British Vogue said its September issue, guest-edited by Meghan, sold out in 10 days and was the best-selling issue of the past decade. |
| But the couple has not said how they plan to capitalize on that — only that they “value the ability to earn a professional income” and want to set up a new nonprofit while also becoming financially independent. Last year, in addition to accepting money from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, they got $6.5 million from Harry’s father, Charles, through his Duchy of Cornwall estate. | |
| Harry and Meghan are quitting the castle. But who will pay for the butler? | Harry and Meghan are quitting the castle. But who will pay for the butler? |
| Lacey said that cutting ties may be more than a financial proposition. | Lacey said that cutting ties may be more than a financial proposition. |
| “Using the term ‘Sussex Royal’ would have involved strings back to the palace that were neither practical nor proper for a young couple operating in the field of social welfare and development in North America or internationally,” he said. | “Using the term ‘Sussex Royal’ would have involved strings back to the palace that were neither practical nor proper for a young couple operating in the field of social welfare and development in North America or internationally,” he said. |
| Lee Curtis, a trademark lawyer, noted that Harry’s father set up Duchy Originals — an organic food company known for its tea, biscuits and produce sold at British grocery stores — but that its profits are funneled back into charities. Curtis added, “‘Duchy Originals’ doesn’t have the term ‘royal’ in it, so there isn’t that very strong association.” | Lee Curtis, a trademark lawyer, noted that Harry’s father set up Duchy Originals — an organic food company known for its tea, biscuits and produce sold at British grocery stores — but that its profits are funneled back into charities. Curtis added, “‘Duchy Originals’ doesn’t have the term ‘royal’ in it, so there isn’t that very strong association.” |
| Trading on the reputation and celebrity of the British royal family doesn’t tend to wash well with the queen or the British public. The queen’s eldest grandson, Peter Phillips, recently raised eyebrows when he appeared in a milk commercial on Chinese television, where he was introduced as a “British Royal Family member.” | Trading on the reputation and celebrity of the British royal family doesn’t tend to wash well with the queen or the British public. The queen’s eldest grandson, Peter Phillips, recently raised eyebrows when he appeared in a milk commercial on Chinese television, where he was introduced as a “British Royal Family member.” |
| In Harry and Meghan’s case, the value of their brand isn’t necessarily reliant on the name “Sussex Royal” or whether they represent the queen, said David Kippen, chief executive of Evviva Brands, a brand agency. | In Harry and Meghan’s case, the value of their brand isn’t necessarily reliant on the name “Sussex Royal” or whether they represent the queen, said David Kippen, chief executive of Evviva Brands, a brand agency. |
| “In three years’ time, it will be their star power and what they do that ultimately creates or destroys the follower base they’ve created, not the equity associated with the name,” Kippen said. | “In three years’ time, it will be their star power and what they do that ultimately creates or destroys the follower base they’ve created, not the equity associated with the name,” Kippen said. |
| Queen Elizabeth II agrees to a ‘period of transition’ in which Harry and Meghan spend time in Britain and Canada | Queen Elizabeth II agrees to a ‘period of transition’ in which Harry and Meghan spend time in Britain and Canada |
| The couple, who are living with their son, Archie, on Canada’s Vancouver Island, will return to Britain for a handful of events in the coming weeks, including the March 9 Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which they will attend alongside the queen and other senior royals. | The couple, who are living with their son, Archie, on Canada’s Vancouver Island, will return to Britain for a handful of events in the coming weeks, including the March 9 Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which they will attend alongside the queen and other senior royals. |
| Their spokeswoman said Harry and Meghan will close their office at Buckingham Palace at the end of March. After that, they will be represented in Britain by their foundation. | |
| She added that the situation will be reviewed in a year. “As there is no precedent for this new model of working and eventual financial independence, the Royal Family and The Sussexes have agreed to an initial 12-month review to ensure the arrangement works for all parties,” she said. | She added that the situation will be reviewed in a year. “As there is no precedent for this new model of working and eventual financial independence, the Royal Family and The Sussexes have agreed to an initial 12-month review to ensure the arrangement works for all parties,” she said. |
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| Prince Harry is part of a long tradition of disgruntled ‘spare heirs’ | Prince Harry is part of a long tradition of disgruntled ‘spare heirs’ |
| Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world |
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