Meghan and Harry have reportedly upset the late Queen with a statement that thinly veiled their resentment towards other family members. The Duchess is under scrutiny for incorporating her royal cipher into the branding of her lifestyle company, As Ever, a move that has reignited debates about the couple leveraging their royal status for commercial ventures.
In the promotion of their new Christmas collection, Meghan is showcased in her workspace with a notebook bearing her royal cipher in gold lettering, a monogram featuring the letter M topped with a coronet that was unveiled before her marriage to Harry in 2018. Additionally, she has introduced a new candle, No 519, in honor of their wedding anniversary, described as inspired by the joy and memories of their special day.
The continued use of the royal cipher by Meghan has drawn criticism from supporters of the monarchy, questioning why she persists in utilizing it despite expressing discontent with her royal experience. Royal author Tom Bower has highlighted concerns from senior royals and Buckingham Palace officials regarding the commercialization of the monarchy.
Tensions escalated when Harry and Meghan were compelled to abandon their “SussexRoyal” brand aspirations, coinciding with their decision to step back from royal duties in early 2020 to achieve financial independence. Prior to this, the couple expressed dissatisfaction with the decision-making processes and treatment compared to other royals in a statement on their official website, asserting their intention to discontinue using the term ‘royal’ post-spring 2020 transition.
Bower criticized the statement as “spiteful” and offensive to the Queen, suggesting that it subtly conveyed the couple’s underlying resentment towards other family members. Despite other royal family members pursuing employment outside the institution, a 12-month review period was established for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Initially adopting the Sussex Royal brand in 2019 to differentiate their household from Prince William and Princess Kate’s, the couple amassed a substantial following on their @sussexroyal Instagram page. However, the Queen and senior officials later mandated the relinquishment of their title due to their decision to step down from royal duties.
While acknowledging the couple as cherished family members, the Queen emphasized that without official duties, they could not market themselves as royals while pursuing commercial ventures.