Meghan Markle and Prince Harryleft the royal fold in 2020, and the couple quickly leaned on their connections to maintain their lavish lifestyle. Since relocating to Montecito, Calif., the former senior-level royals have been compared to the likes of Kim Kardashian and other American socialites.
“They say, ‘We don’t want to be part of the royal family,’ you just need to look at their website, everything indicates that they are hanging onto the royal coattails," royal expert Rupert Bell told TalkTV.
“And Prince Harry says we don’t want that, but without it, they have nothing to sell because, suddenly, if they don’t have that royal connection, then what are they? They are just another celebrity couple," he added.
In 2023, the Sussexes were branded as "grifters" and a professional "flop" after losing their Spotify partnership.
“Celebrities have to look as if they know what they’re doing, and they have to work hard at it, more often than not, to achieve they want to achieve, whether it be acting or promoting something," he explained. “We can all see what’s going on, but… are people buying it?Or, is the royal family not being strong enough with them and saying, ‘Stop this?’”
"So,at the moment, the Sussexes have free rein, in many ways, to carry on, as they are, using their royal connections," he added.
In 2020, the Sussexes announced they were leaving their senior-level positions, but they initially hoped to work part-time for Queen Elizabeth in Canada.
“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution," they shared in a statement.
“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages," they noted. “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity."
Although the Sussexes eventually settled down in California, the duo recently rebranded using their royal titles and crest.
"The late Queen was fond of Harry and Meghan. She saw their potential as a couple working for the Commonwealth – her Commonwealth. It was her father's legacy," Ingrid Seward told an outlet. "Then it became hers."
"The Queen saw Meghan's mixed-race heritage, her youth and style combined with intelligence, as a major plus for the monarchy," Seward explained. "Imagine her distress when everything she had hoped for from Harry and Meghan failed to materialize."
"In 2020 instead of being supportive of the monarchy they wanted to leave," she shared. "That is when the steely will of the Queen came into play."
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
Elizabeth believed in being dedicated to The Firm and was clear about her expectations.
"With the support of her aged husband, she made it clear it was not possible to do what they wanted — be half in and half out of the monarchy. She told them they could not trade on their royal connections for financial gain," Seward stated. ''She subsequently forbade them from using the website name sussexroyal.com and their HRHs."
"She would have been hurt and angry at the latest developments," she concluded.