After their bombshell announcement last month, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not only lose their HRH titles and the Duke of Sussex’s military title, but they will also be banned from using the word “royal” in their activities. The couple then released a statement that seemingly showed their discontent with Queen Elizabeth’s decision.
Now, Royal author Robert Hardman talked about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's actions with talkRADIO host Mike Graham, blasting the couple for showing “bad manners.” He also said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex disrespected Queen Elizabeth in their lengthy statement.
"I think the one thing in that statement over the weekend that even their supporters are finding really difficult is this disrespect to the Queen,” he said. "This extraordinary statement within this very long statement where they say actually it is not up to the Queen or the British Government who uses the word royal internationally, they have no jurisdiction. That is wrong in law, there are various international rules governing trademarks but it is effectively saying that the Queen doesn’t own this issue anyway.”
Robert Hardman pointed out that Queen Elizabeth tried her best to accommodate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wishes while maintaining the reputation of the monarchy. Even though Her Majesty supported Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision, the couple should know that their choice came with a price.
"I think given that the Queen has gone out of her way to make this transition for them as smooth and as relatively easy as possible I think it is bad manners,” the royal expert added. “I would love to know who was advising them."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have already spent a lot of money trademarking the Sussex Royal brand. The couple is still using the brand for their official social media accounts as of this writing.
Meanwhile, earlier reports revealed that even though the couple will still be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they can “no longer formally represent” Queen Elizabeth in their new lives.
“The Sussexes’ original plan – of being half-in, half-out working royals – was never going to work. Obviously, as the Queen has made clear, they are still much-loved members of her family,” the source shared. “But if they aren’t carrying out official duties and are now seeking other commercial opportunities, they simply cannot be allowed to market themselves as royals.”
