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Queen Elizabeth II has reportedly blocked Meghan Markle and Prince Harry from using the name “Sussex Royal” for their projects outside the royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex registered their charitable foundation under the name “Sussex Royal The Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex” in July, before they quit their royal roles.
Rebecca English, the Daily Mail’s royal correspondent, reported on Tuesday that the Queen and palace officials agreed that the couple should not be allowed to use “royal” in their branding since they stepped down.
“The Mail understands that, amid what has been described as a ‘complex’ situation, the ‘fine detail’ is still being thrashed out,” English wrote. “However, it is understood the couple have accepted that, as part of their new working arrangements, they will not be able to use the Sussex Royal name as they had hoped.”
“Sussex Royal” is also the name of the couple’s Instagram account and website, so a ban could mean they have to rename them.
The couple last year applied to trademark the name. The document, published in December, showed that if accepted, the brand name could cover a range of services and materials, including books, magazines, journals, and clothing.
It’s unclear what Harry and Markle’s charity and wider brand will focus on. They reportedly hosted a “brainstorming session” with staff members at Stanford University last week.
Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
