TORONTO -- Harry and Meghan are rebranding again.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped back from royal duties last month, announced Friday that they will not use the word 鈥淩oyal鈥� for private initiatives going forward.
The couple is expected to announce a new name for their non-profit organization when they make their official 鈥渢ransition鈥� from the Royal Family this spring.
鈥淭he Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use 鈥楽ussex Royal鈥� or any iteration of the word 鈥楻oyal鈥� in any territory (either within the UK or otherwise) when the transition occurs,鈥� reads an outline of the couple鈥檚 鈥溾�� online. The statement reiterates that the pair will retain their His and Her Royal Highness prefixes but won鈥檛 actively invoke them.
Last year, the couple submitted trademark applications for the 鈥淪ussex Royal鈥� brand and planned to launch the 鈥淪ussex Royal Foundation鈥� this year. The trademark applications were filed 鈥渁s protective measures,鈥� the transition details stated, and have now been removed. The name 鈥淪ussexRoyal鈥� is currently both the address for Harry and Meghan鈥檚 and their popular Instagram account.
But perhaps not for long: 鈥淚n Spring 2020, their digital channels will be refreshed as they introduce the next exciting phase to you,鈥� the outline continued.
CTV鈥檚 royal commentator Richard Berthelsen said the trademark withdrawal is not surprising and is 鈥渓ike resigning before being fired.鈥�
The couple鈥檚 use of the word 鈥渞oyal鈥� likely wouldn鈥檛 have been approved because of U.K. government rules surrounding the use of the word 鈥渞oyal.鈥�
鈥�(The Palace) could have relaxed the policies, as they do for royal weddings,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how people are able to print up t-shirts and things like that with royal symbols on them.鈥�
Harry and Meghan鈥檚 trademark efforts weren鈥檛 for souvenirs but a new private, financially independent life separate from the Royal Family. It鈥檚 unclear how the Duke and Duchess will move forward with those entities and what their new foundation will be called. Berthelsen said it鈥檚 possible they could maintain 鈥淪ussexRoyal鈥� for work exclusively within the Royal Family, but the Palace statement suggests they won鈥檛. They can, however, continue to use their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, Berthelsen added, since those are essentially a given name that belongs to them.
They could adopt a more American-friendly brand like 鈥淗arry and Meghan鈥� since their interests going forward appear to be about attracting American money, said Berthelsen, adding that Royal Family titles might not resonate as well in the U.S.
鈥淭itles like Duke and Duchess and Sussex -- in American terms -- aren鈥檛 particularly meaningful,鈥� he said.
