Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are coming under fire from some royal family experts after the couple put out a statement that they would no longer use the brand Sussex Royal — while pointing out that Queen Elizabeth II did not have the ability to bar them from using the “royal” name if they wanted to keep it.
As the Daily Mail noted, some experts who closely follow the royal family believe that the statement could be the start of a more public spat between the couple and the matriarch of the family. Harry and Meghan had already announced that they would be stepping back from their royal duties and splitting time between Canada and the United Kingdom, with reports noting that tensions between the couple and the rest of the family were starting to run deep.
Their decision to step back from royal duties reportedly came after Meghan faced some sharp criticism from the British press, which supporters said had racially charged undertones. Harry had said publicly that protecting his family was his top priority, but still, the announcement that they would be stepping back from royal duties came as a surprise to many.
The statement issued this week saying they would be dropping the brand Sussex Royal has also caused a stir and led to speculation that tensions between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the family have not yet smoothed over.
Richard Fitzwilliams, an expert on the royal family, told the British newspaper that it was “completely unnecessary” for Harry and Meghan to put out a statement noting that the Queen had no jurisdiction in stripping them of the brand name. Fitzwilliams added that their statement “underlines their differences with the palace in a way that is unavoidable.”
“The idea of putting out a statement which agrees that they can’t use the word royal but contradicts the idea the monarchy can stop them using it,” he said. “They’re basically saying the royals can’t stop them using it, but they won’t be using it.”
Tom Bower, who wrote a biography of Prince Charles, also told the Daily Mail that the statement was unnecessary and appeared to pin the blame on Markle , saying that the public is “finally seeing Meghan’s true nature and motives.”
“Her comments about the Queen’s decision smacks of spiteful fury,” he said, referring to the statement released jointly by Meghan and Harry. “I fear it will get worse.”
