Though Queen Elizabeth II has been all smiles amid the “MEGXIT” drama, sources close to the royal family say the Queen fears that this will damage that monarchy and just simply wants it to be “over and done with.”
“She generally doesn’t want to talk about it,”one source told Vanity Fair. “The Queen has been keen to get this resolved because she sees it is damaging to the monarchy and on a personal level I think this has been rather hurtful for her. She has got to the point where she doesn’t want to think about it anymore, she just wants it over and done with.”
This past January, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced, in a statement posted to social media, that they will be “stepping away from their roles as senior members of the royal family to carve out a more ‘progressive’ role for themselves in North America.” Their plans for a clean break were somewhat dampened last week, however, when Queen Elizabeth forced the couple to drop their desired brand name and trademark “Sussex Royal.”
“While The Duke and Duchess are focused on plans to establish a new non-profit organisation, given the specific UK Government rules surrounding use of the word Royal, it has been therefore agreed that their non-profit organisation, when it is announced this Spring, will not be named Sussex Royal Foundation,” the couple said in a statement on Friday via spokeswoman. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use ‘Sussex Royal’ in any territory post Spring 2020. Therefore, the trademark applications that were filed as protective measures, acting on advice from and following the same model for the Royal Foundation, have been removed.”
Though Prince Harry and Meghan will still be allowed to keep their HRH titles, they will be barred from using the word royal. Former royal courtier Patrick Jephson told Vanity Fair that Queen Elizabeth can and will user her “disciplinary power” when necessary.
“The Queen’s disciplinary power within her family is seldom mentioned and seldom used. The mere threat of her displeasure is enough to keep the troops in line most of the time,” said Jephson. “When something more emphatic is required in defense of the dynasty, she does what’s necessary. People are reassured when she acts to protect the monarchy. It’s an institution that occasionally has to demonstrate robust self-belief to remain credible as a focus of national unity. Perhaps it’s her longevity but the Queen has a gift for keeping problems in perspective. Her instincts are humane, cautious and pragmatic.”
Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith said that the Queen’s ruling against Meghan and Harry’s desired brand will prevent them from exploiting the royal connection for profit. That being said, however, the couple will still be raking in millions in speaking engagements alone.
“By ruling against their use of the Sussex Royal brand, she drew the line on exploiting their royal connection for profit,” said Smith. “I think in the process she has showed the sort of flexibility and adherence to standards that strengthen the monarchy.”