Meghan Markle is thought to have told the National Theatre that her role as a patron will be ‘business as usual’ despite now living in Canada.
Artistic director Rufus Norris explained that although bosses were not told of the Duchess of Sussex’s plans to move, they are confident she will remain ‘engaged’ and are looking forward to working with her and her ‘star reach’.
It comes after the Queen and senior officials are believed to have agreed it is no longer tenable for the couple to keep the word ‘royal’ in their ‘branding’.
Meghan Markle, 38, is thought to have promised the National Theatre that her role as a patron, which she has held since January 2019, will be ‘business as usual’ despite now living in Canada with Prince Harry and their son Archie (the Duke and Duchess are pictured in January)
The Mail understands that, amid what has been described as a ‘complex’ situation, the ‘fine detail’ is still being thrashed out.
Mr Norris was seen with Meghan shortly before her move to Canada was announced and she is set to meet with theatre bosses during a short trip to the UK in March.
Mr Norris told The Telegraph: ‘There has been no indication at all from her that her engagement with us would be anything other than business as usual.
‘She has proven to be a very engaged patron and we look forward to working with her. She has star reach, she understands the nature of what we’re trying to do.’
He added that despite reports theatre bosses were ‘fuming’ after Meghan and Harry announced they would be leaving the UK, this was a ‘total fiction’, reports The Times.
Meghan was made a patron of the National Theatre in January 2019. At the same time she also took on honorary roles with Mayhew, Smart Works, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
Artistic Director Rufus Norris (pictured) said Meghan has ‘proven to be a very engaged patron’ who ‘has star reach’
On Wednesday it was revealed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex must drop their ‘Sussex Royal’ label after deciding to step down as working royals.
Following lengthy and complex talks, the Queen and senior officials are believed to have agreed it is no longer tenable for the couple to keep the word ‘royal’ in their ‘branding’.
Harry and Meghan have spent tens of thousands of pounds on a new Sussex Royal website to complement their hugely popular Instagram feed.
They have also sought to register Sussex Royal as a global trademark for a range of items and activities, including clothing, stationery, books and teaching materials.
In addition, they have taken steps to set up a new charitable organisation: Sussex Royal, The Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It has now been made clear that they will need to ‘re-brand’.
The Mail understands that, amid what has been described as a ‘complex’ situation, the ‘fine detail’ is still being thrashed out.
Harry and Meghan have spent tens of thousands of pounds on a new Sussex Royal website, sussexroyal.com, to complement their hugely popular Instagram feed. It has now been made clear that they will need to ‘re-brand’
However, it is understood the couple have accepted that, as part of their new working arrangements, they will not be able to use the Sussex Royal name as they had hoped.
The development is thought to represent a major blow to the Sussexes, who now face starting again and re-registering everything from their website to their charity under a new label.
Harry and Meghan first began using the Sussex Royal branding this time last year, after they split their household from that of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – known as Kensington Royal.
The Sussexes’ Instagram page, @sussexroyal, has amassed 11.2million followers – the same number of fans as William and Kate’s account.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and the Queen at a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge in Widnes in June 2018
It was a natural progression, therefore, for Harry and Meghan to use the moniker for their new charitable foundation, due to be launched this year with the support of Buckingham Palace.
And as they secretly prepared for a new life in Canada, it was clear that Sussex Royal was at the forefront of Harry and Meghan’s plans.
Dozens of trademark applications were made for everything from bandanas to notebooks – although sources have always stressed that these were preventative measures to protect the trademark from others, and never intended for commercial use.
The couple also privately commissioned a new website. It went live last month to coincide with their bombshell announcement, with the introduction: ‘Welcome to the Sussex Royal community, your source for information on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.’
The couple’s decision to step down as senior working royals and pursue ‘financial independence’ put a spanner in the Sussex Royal works and placed the Queen in an invidious position
The couple’s decision to step down as senior working royals and pursue ‘financial independence’ put a spanner in the Sussex Royal works.
It placed the Queen in an invidious position, given her long-held conviction of refusing to allow working members of the family to profit from their positions.
Announcing Her Majesty’s decision to allow her grandson and his wife to pursue a new life abroad, officials made clear that the Sussex Royal title would still need to be re-evaluated.
All members of the family – including Harry and Meghan – were involved in the discussions, and it is understood they all agreed that, in light of the Sussexes’ decision to step back, their use of the word ‘royal’ would come into question.