Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are facing renewed scrutiny after the Duchess was seen using her royal cipher in promotional material for her lifestyle brand As Ever. Critics argue that this choice contradicts the couple’s long-standing complaints about their treatment within the monarchy. It has also revived an earlier dispute that reportedly left the late Queen offended.
In recent promotional photos for As Ever’s Christmas collection, Meghan appears in her workspace with a notebook featuring her royal monogram in gold. The design shows the letter M topped by a coronet, a symbol created before her wedding in 2018. The company has also introduced a candle named No 519, which references the date of the Sussexes’ wedding. The product description says the candle is inspired by the ease and joy of a day filled with Meghan’s most cherished memories.
The use of such royal symbolism has angered supporters of the monarchy. Many are questioning why Meghan continues to present herself with royal emblems despite her public criticism of the institution. Royal biographer Tom Bower claims that both senior members of the family and officials inside Buckingham Palace have long worried about the possibility of the Sussexes monetizing their royal status.
Tension around that issue emerged years ago when Harry and Meghan were told they would not be able to advance their SussexRoyal branding after stepping back from duties. In early 2020, as the couple prepared to leave their roles as full-time working royals, they posted a statement on their official website expressing their dissatisfaction with the restrictions placed on them. The Sussexes insisted that the monarch had no legal authority to prevent them from using the word royal overseas.
Their public message read that although the monarchy and cabinet office had no jurisdiction over the term outside the United Kingdom, they did not intend to use Sussex Royal in any location once their transition was complete in the spring of that year. According to Bower, the wording of the announcement was viewed inside the Palace as spiteful and disrespectful. He claims it exposed deep resentment toward other family members and even contained a veiled criticism of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who have held outside employment.
The Sussexes originally developed the SussexRoyal brand in 2019 after formally separating their office from that of Prince William and Princess Kate. Their Instagram account grew rapidly and reached more than eleven million followers, matching the audience of the Waleses’ KensingtonRoyal page.
The following year, however, the Queen and senior advisors concluded that the couple could not continue using the title. A source told the Mail that the decision was unavoidable once Harry and Meghan chose to step down. According to the source, it was a significant loss for the couple because they had built their entire identity around the name, but the Queen had little room to maneuver. Since Harry and Meghan were no longer performing official duties and were pursuing commercial ventures, they could not market themselves as royals.
The Palace emphasised at the time that the Sussexes remained much loved. Yet the reality was clear. Their proposal to live partly inside and partly outside the institution was never going to be accepted. Despite the affection the late Queen felt for her grandson and his family, the boundaries of royal representation could not be bent to fit their wishes.
