Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have negotiated their divorce from the Royal Family and, as part of their plan to become financially independent, wanted to trademark the term ‘Sussex Royal’. But the Queen blocked that request last week.

However, the Queen’s intervention does not necessarily mean the Sussexes can’t carry on using ‘royal’ in their branding.

Once Harry and Meghan officially quit their royal duties on March 31 they will stop using their HRH titles, which they will retain despite walking away from the Royal Family.

As a result, it was decided that the Sussexes would not use the term ‘royal’ as part of their branding.

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Meghan and Harry laid out the details of their future arrangement in a lengthy statement on their website.

And that statement contained a hint at how they can continue to use the term ‘royal’.

The statement reads: “While there is not any jurisdiction by the monarchy or cabinet office over the use of the word ‘royal’ overseas, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use ‘Sussex Royal’ or any iteration of the word ‘royal’ in any territory (either within the UK or otherwise) when the transition occurs spring 2020.”

The Sussexes are in essence saying that neither the Queen nor the Government owns the word royal across the world.

So they could technically use the term ‘Sussex Royal’ abroad should they choose, but they’ve agreed not to.

The statement added: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will become privately funded members of the Royal Family with permission to earn their own income and the ability to pursue their own private charitable interests.

“The preference of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was to continue to represent and support Her Majesty the Queen albeit in a more limited capacity, while not drawing on the Sovereign Grant.

“While there is precedent for other titled members of the Royal Family to seek employment outside of the institution, for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, a 12-month review period has been put in place.

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“Per the agreement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex understand that they are required to step back from royal duties and not undertake representative duties on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.”

The Sussexes will have to make due without the term ‘royal’ and according to a licensing expert, that could cost them up to 50 percent of potential earnings.

Stuart Burns, royalties and forensics accounting partner at HW Fisher, said: “They can earn a great deal of money from royalties.

“Their earnings could be 25 to 50 percent higher if they retained the royal in their brand.

“It would give them a level of premium from the rubberstamping of that association to the royals.

“But it won’t have a lasting effect and I think they benefit from the unofficial but undeniable link to the royals.”

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