Prince Harry and Meghan’s attempt to ‘cash in’ on royalties caused Queen to ‘hit back

Prince Harry’s life has been anything but routine since he and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals. While there have been several veiled jabs at the Royal Family since their departure, a royal historian claims that one particular incident caused the late Queen to “hit back” at her grandson and his wife.

Author Robert Lacey wrote in his book Battle of Brothers that the Sussexes’ decision to commercialize under their own royal trademark prompted the Queen to put her foot down because the couple was acting without her permission. However, this isn’t the first time the couple is said to have clashed with the sovereign behind palace walls.

Royal historian Robert Lacey claims in his biography Battle of Brothers that Meghan and Harry’s decision to sell merchandise under their own royal trademark ‘Sussex Royal’ without the Queen’s permission was a step too far, causing the “family to finally hit back.”

Members of The Firm making their own goods isn’t a new idea; King Charles sells a variety of organic products in his Duchy Originals range, and royal residences across the country sell souvenirs to visitors.

Despite this, the problem between Harry and Meghan arose because they did not get permission from the late monarch before announcing their plans. The couple allegedly spent thousands of pounds trademarking a variety of products ranging from T-shirts to bandanas.

Lacey wrote: “Once again Harry had totally failed to consult the Queen about a major initiative affecting his royal work and image — and the image of the crown as a whole. The family finally hit back.

“Elizabeth II had always had a soft spot for Harry, and she had been delighted by the arrival of Meghan, whose personal energies seemed to complement her grandson’s so well.

“As Head of the Commonwealth and reigning over an ever more multicultural society in Britain, the Queen had especially welcomed the exciting new dimension that a mixed-race recruit brought to the Windsor identity — and as we shall see later in this series, she herself had spotted when things were going wrong, and had helped devise a strategy she firmly hoped would make things easier for the couple.

“But there were some matters on which Elizabeth II would not compromise — and chief among them was the authority of the crown.

By not disclosing their plans to market merchandise under their own royal trademark, Harry and Meghan had trespassed dangerously on that authority. To commercialize the crown required the crown’s consent — and the Sussexes had not sought that.”

This was not the first time the late monarch was forced to confront the couple about their behavior, as author Katie Nicholl described in her book The New Royals a “tense” exchange.

According to Brown, there was “lots of raging” in the run-up to their wedding, and Meghan would yell in front of staff.