The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will no longer refer to themselves as ‘royal’ or use their Sussex Royal branding from spring 2020, they have confirmed in a statement on their website.
Both their website and Instagram account currently use the Sussex Royal branding, something we can now expect to over the next couple of months.
Earlier this month Harry and Meghan shared details of their last public engagements together in their capacity as working members of the royal family, as well as the date of their last official public appearance.
‘We are pleased to now be able to share with you an update on many of the details agreed at a meeting of The Royal Family in January 2020, which outlines The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new roles, taking effect Spring 2020,’ the statement reads.
‘We had hoped to be allowed to share these details with you sooner (to mitigate any confusion and subsequent misreporting), but the facts below should help provide some clarification around this transition and the steps for the future.’
The statement confirmed that Meghan and Harry’s new roles will come into effect in spring 2020 and undergo a 12-month review, as well as their wishes to be more independent and limit the media intrusion into their lives.
They will also become privately-funded members of the Royal Family and earn their own income, ceasing to draw on the Sovereign Grant, and will no longer use their HRH titles.
The statement also details that, although official royal duties will cease, Prince Harry will continue to support the military in an unofficial capacity, and that the family will continue to require security – although details of this must remain classified for security reasons.
‘As The Duke and Duchess will no longer be considered full-time working Members of The Royal Family, it was agreed that use of the word “Royal” would need to be reviewed as it pertains to organisations associated with them in this new regard.’
The statement continued: ‘The creation of [their] non-profit entity will be in addition to their cause driven work that they remain deeply committed to.
‘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 will not utilise the name ‘Sussex Royal’ or any other iteration of “Royal”