If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue to profit from their royal titles, they will never reconcile with their family, predicts an expert.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's friend, polo player Nacho Figueras, faced criticism for promoting the former 'Suits' star's products after Kate Middleton's return.
To reconcile with the British royal family, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex must exercise caution in their commercial transactions.
Several royal experts claimed to Planet Chronicle Digital that the couple's expansion of their empire in California could further widen their rift with the royal family.
According to Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," King Charles III and Prince William consider Harry and Meghan to have drifted so far out to sea.
"Andersen stated that there is no way they will be welcomed back, even if Harry begs for forgiveness, the best he can hope for is crumbs from the royal table and grudging acceptance, like what is currently being given to Harry's disgraced uncle, Prince Andrew."
"If Harry and Meghan decide to profit from their titles, they will only deepen their hole, but if they use their celebrity to build their brand and avoid exploiting the Sussex name and Windsor connection, everyone has the right to earn a living. However, there will still be animosity, and there will be no chance of Harry regaining the favor of the king and William."
The royal correspondent Russell Myers stated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would not be welcomed back into the royal family if they used their titles to generate income.
According to Myers, members of the royal family have conveyed to Harry that in order to maintain a relationship with them, he must first and foremost cease discussing them.
"Myers stated that they cannot earn money by exploiting their connections with the royal family. Instead, they must understand that if they want to maintain a relationship with the royal family, they cannot criticize them."
He added, "I hope they realize that the royal family is more united without them, and if they want a relationship in the future, they need to tone down their relationship and their words."
Recently, Nacho Figueras, the couple's friend, faced criticism for promoting the Duchess of Sussex's products on social media, coinciding with Kate Middleton's return to public life.
On Friday night, the polo player and model posted a photo of a pot of jam from Meghan's lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, and a jar of dog biscuits on their Instagram stories, according to People magazine.
On Friday evening in the U.S., Figueras posted on location, and with the time difference, their posts appeared in U.K. followers' feeds early Saturday morning before the Trooping the Colour ceremony.
The Princess of Wales announced on Friday that she would attend the public celebration honoring King Charles III's birthday, despite continuing her cancer treatment.
The coincidental timing of Kate's announcement and Figueras' post caused some viewers to question the outrage.
Montecito-based couple, known for their royal titles, may leverage them to enhance their business dealings, according to branding expert Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR.
"According to Eldridge, if recent history is any indication, their success is almost dependent upon them doing so. Harry and Meghan had very different paths and levels of global popularity prior to their royal exit. Everything they've done since has been off the backs of their royal connection."
"Probably not," Eldridge stated. "Harry was adored globally, while Meghan had a small-scale following in the US. She gained international attention during the 2018 wedding, but her PR took a hit. Unlike Taylor Swift, who can make billions by retelling a 'girl done wrong' story, Meghan lacks the charisma."
In February, Harry, who has a strained relationship with his family, hurried to London for a brief visit after the king, 75, was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer.
Since his father left royal duties in 2020 and moved to California with his wife, the prince, 39, has had limited contact with his father. He has shared details of his strained relationship with his family in TV interviews, a documentary, and his memoir, which was published in January 2023.
On March 14, Meghan revealed her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, on Instagram. No official announcement has been made about the brand's details.
The duchess submitted two more trademark applications on March 9 and March 19, which broadened her lifestyle brand into cosmetics and gardening.
The March 9 application included items such as bath soaps, body creams, cosmetics, scented oils, fragrances, and incense. Additionally, it listed "Non-medicated skin care preparations; Bath and shower gels and salts not for medical purposes; Non-medicated hair preparations."
The brand expanded on March 19 with the addition of gardening trowels, weeding forks, shears, specially adapted bags for gardening tools, and a gift set of hand tools for gardening.
Meghan's representative did not promptly respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's inquiry for comment.
The American Riviera Orchard trademark application, submitted in February, encompassed textiles, cutlery, "jellies, jams; marmalades" and various food spreads. Additionally, the brand may offer "coffee services in the nature of tableware; tea services in the nature of tableware; servingware for serving food and drinks; decanters" and other beverage accessories.
Hilary Fordwich, a British royals expert, claimed to Planet Chronicle Digital that when Harry and Meghan left the royal family, they were unaware that the success of any service or product is determined by its unique selling point (USP).
"What would be Harry's unique selling point if not for his family? Furthermore, all the admiration, esteem, fame, social approval, and demand given to any member of the royal family are due to their inherited status and role. He desired none of these but all of the former."
The majority of the public in U.K. polls are not opposed to Harry and Meghan seeking a new life away from the monarchy, as long as it does not come at the expense of taxpayers. The king must consider public sentiment in making his decision.
"The decision to cut security for non-working royals is not solely an ego issue but also a survival issue. As Queen Elizabeth II before him, the monarch is responsible for the longevity and existence of the monarchy. Providing security for wayward non-working royals has zero appeal to the taxpaying public and his subjects, whom he ultimately serves."
The host of the To Di For Daily podcast, Kinsey Schofield, questioned why the Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven't renounced their royal titles entirely if they want to maintain their independence in California.
"Schofield stated that the royal association is the only currency for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. He added that Harry is defiant about keeping his titles, and their royal titles are crucial to their American branding. Schofield then posed a question about the popularity of dog biscuits, asking if Duchess dog biscuits would sell faster than regular dog biscuits."
"Schofield revealed that Harry asked Anderson Cooper what the difference would be if he gave up his title, but Harry knew it would significantly affect the commercial interest in him and his wife, negatively impacting his financial value - the value people or companies were willing to pay for access to him."
"Is there a risk to his relationship with the royal family by continuing to profit from his connection to them? I believe he has already done so, to some extent."
This report was contributed to by Lauryn Overhultz of Planet Chronicle Digital, Elizabeth Stanton, and The Associated Press.
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