This week, the Duchess of Sussex and her friend Jamie Kern Lima appeared on each other’s podcasts. Meghan’s appearance on Lima’s pod came out on Monday, and Lima’s appearance on Meghan’s Confessions of a Female Founder came out today. I listened to/watched most of Lima’s interview with Meghan and I’m covering that separately. It was a great interview, Meghan’s first time on someone else’s pod. Meghan spoke in-depth about her marriage, her kids, her perspective on the world, whether she would run for office (nope), whether she’ll write another book (very likely) and a lot more. Jamie repeatedly talked about how generous Meghan is with her time and with gift-giving. Meghan has sent Jamie gifts of jam and more over the years, and at one point during the interview, Jamie spoke about receiving one of Meghan’s jam-baskets and how the note (which you can see at the end of the post) used Meghan’s title and royal style – HRH the Duchess of Sussex. As you can imagine, the royalists are having a completely normal one about it.
The Duchess of Sussex is using her HRH title despite an undertaking to the contrary, it has emerged. Meghan was interviewed by her friend, Jamie Kern Lima, the founder of IT Cosmetics, for a podcast broadcast on YouTube.
During the interview, an image was shown of a “gift basket” of ice cream and homemade strawberry sauce she had sent to Ms Kern Lima, with an accompanying note printed on monogrammed paper that said: “With the compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex.”
The use of the title appears to be in direct contrast to an agreement made by the Duke and Duchess when they stepped back from their public duties.
While the couple kept their titles they were essentially put into abeyance. A statement released by Buckingham Palace in January 2020 said: “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.”
The revelation comes after Meghan published an image of a note from Ukraine’s vice prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, that addressed her with her HRH title and apparently went uncorrected. The note began: “Your Royal Highness, I would like to express my sincere thanks for everything your family is doing for Ukraine.”
“They were essentially put into abeyance…” “Essentially” is doing so much work there. Much like “there’s no half-in, half-out,” it’s all or nothing on titles and royal styles as well. Either their HRH styles were put into abeyance or they weren’t. Either their Sussex ducal titles were removed or they weren’t. Either all parties have to adhere to the Sandringham agreement or no party has to. Considering the Windsors immediately reneged on the terms of the Sandringham Summit, it’s perfectly fine for Meghan to still use her proper title, and it’s more than appropriate for foreign dignitaries and officials to also use the Sussexes’ titles and HRH styles. Also: the Daily Mail had this story, where they claim that the Sussexes’ spokesperson confirmed something:
Meghan Markle calls herself Her Royal Highness to friends but has denied she is flouting the Megxit deal agreed with the late Queen, MailOnline can reveal today. The former actress, 43, has sparked controversy after her friend Jamie Kern Lima shared a picture of a food hamper with a note that said it was ‘With the compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex’.
Although no laws were passed or documents signed to prevent their use, Harry and Meghan’s agreement with the late Queen and senior officials was that they would stop using the word ‘Royal’ and their HRH titles after they quit duties and emigrated to the US to become ‘financially independent’ from the Crown. A spokesman for the Sussexes has insisted today that they do not use HRH titles for commercial purposes.
But critics have said that the image of the note with some organic ice cream and jam, published yesterday, was a tacit plug for Meghan’s As Ever lifestyle range, while also promoting her new podcast episode with her friend Jamie. A source close to the royal couple suggested that the image shared by Jamie Kern Lima was taken before the Duchess launched her As Ever brand in early March. In the podcast, Jamie Kern Lima claimed that she had been sent the jam last year.
So… they’re mad that Meghan used “HRH” in personal correspondence with a friend last year, because she launched her As Ever business this year, and something something she’s profiting from her title! What are we even doing at this point? Also: I always find it fascinating whenever Meghan gives a longer interview in which she makes news in several different ways, inevitably the British media will find some minor bullsh-t to latch onto and scream about for weeks. They’d rather talk about Meghan’s HRH than her happiness, her successful business, her great marriage, her peaceful life in Montecito, and the fact that she and Harry are surrounded by people who care about them and protect them.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, screencap courtesy of The Jamie Kern Lima Show.
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- ** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, part of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), of which she was announced as Patron in January 2019. Pictured: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex BACKGRID USA 1 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Meghan Markle The Duchess of Sussex is seen during a visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, part of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), of which she was announced as Patron in January 2019. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 1 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Meghan Markle The Duchess of Sussex is seen during a visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, part of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), of which she was announced as Patron in January 2019. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 1 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a visit to a township to learn about Youth Employment Services (YES), which aims to tackle the critical issue of youth unemployment in South Africa by creating one million new work opportunities in the next three years. Pictured: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex BACKGRID USA 2 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are seen out and about in New York, making a rare public appearance together. Pictured: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 23 APRIL 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are seen out and about in New York, making a rare public appearance together. Pictured: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 23 APRIL 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen exiting their hotel in New York City, drawing attention as they made their way to their next engagement in the city. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 23 APRIL 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Yes / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
The Windsors reneged on the deal first, so why should the Sussexes uphold it.
The Sussexes aren’t using the titles and styles to make money. They only use them in correspondence, which is proper etiquette (something which we know eludes the smooth brains of the gutter rota).
If the palaces really want to make this an issue, if they’re keen to die on this hill, they need to start removal of HRHs from half ins much closer to home. The Kents. The Yorks. Anne.
The Queen also said that Harry and his family need SECURITY 😮😮
Exactly, if they are going to repeat what the Queen wanted they should mention how it was the Queen who wrote to the courts that they should keep their security. Or they can mention how the Queen only approved of Camilla having the title of Queen Consort, not Queen. The royals and the media have a habit of going against the wishes of the Queen. Harry and Meghan have never made money off of their titles. They were silent an entire year after they left the UK, even while being attacked by lies. They have always spoken highly of the Queen and respected her.
She can sign her name with her titles anytime she wants. That is a nothing issue as always, since H&M don’t have any scandals like Charles or other minor royals selling access to BRF, they are creating issue out of nothing. H&M agreed not to use their titles for commercial purposes and they didn’t. Her brand doesn’t even have her own name. Other minor royals used their HRH titles while selling sh*t.
Right?
The best (eye roll) examples being HRH divorced Duchess of York and HRH Nazi Princess Michael of Kent using HRH on their book covers.
If the BM only would bother to cover those, or the various spy scandals, or HRH princesses Beatrice and Eugenie who are also non-working royals, but using HRH anyway — apart from being further down in the Line of Succession than Harry.
Fergie doesn’t use HRH, but she definitely uses Duchess of York. And Princess Michael definitely uses HRH.
I honestly dont even care if the sussexes do use the HRH commercially. the restriction on not using it was always stupid and arbitrary and something done to make them feel “less than” the HRHs like Charles (at that time) and William and most importantly, his children.
Harry has the HRH as part of his birthright and so do his children. Meghan has it because of him. so use it all you want Sussexes. What is the BRF going to do – sue them for using something Harry has had as part of his name since birth based on an agreement between family members over 5 years ago that the royal family has not complied with?
Those gutter rats are furious because this woman has reclaimed her voice and life and pays them no attention. Using HRH to them is earth shattering but taking their home away in the UK and their security was not. I applaud Meghan for moving forth while ignoring those rats.
I don’t even understand this argument. They agreed not to use the HRH for commercial purposes (sure), and her using it when sending something to her friend that was a gift violates that agreement? I don’t see how a gift is commercial use.
Also do they think that people don’t realize that they have the HRH? Not even going to get into the massive hypocrisy of taking away someone’s security after agreeing to it, taking away someone’s home after agreeing to it, and complaining about this but it’s like they think that that HRH really changes something?
That podcast really pissed them off. It’s visceral you can feel it in the air her saying that she’s over trying to convince people while she’s a good person either you think she is or she isn’t who cares. That hit something in them, the way they want her attention and for her to be bothered by them and she refuses to? Her saying that, this weekend her being happy and posting with her kids, her kids having that bright red hair I don’t know it was like the trifecta but those people are irate.
The haters hate the red hair more than the HRH 😁 the Daily Fail had to explain to them that the kids got their hair on Meghan’s side not on Harry’s to make them feel better 😘
They agreed not to use HRH for commercial purposes and they haven’t. Harry is still referred to as HRH during his court cases in the UK because that is his title. Meghan has done nothing wrong. What are the media going to do call the HRH police?
She probably had these cards made up years ago and thought “Might as well use them up!”
LOL, that was my first thought too!
Same!
And if it makes the palace loose their minds and rant with irrational rage all the better.. keep using it. H.R.H. Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex💞🌷 the only Royal I would curtsy to ever.
Using her old cards in gift boxes is a private joke only close friends would enjoy and have a chuckle. No reason to get in a collective huff about it. DM please calm down.
That’s my thought as well. It appears to be blue ink and she did say that she was in a rush to get this basket to her because she was having guest over and so she likely grabbed what was readily available and to any normal person who doesn’t easily get triggered, she didn’t think that sending it privately to a friend would be a big deal. I swear amount of panties sold in the UK must be off the charts because the media rats panties are always in a bunch 🤣.
All the angst over Meghan using the card with her married name on it and yet no one in the British tabloids has asked if this is a recent photo or an old one? Meghan has been gifting her home made jam for years and that means it could be years old? But, hey, let’s not stop the haters from having their fun? Right?
She does not seem at all the type of person who would put that on a gift note to a neighbor or friend with a completely straight face and it is true that H & M agreed not to use it. So I’d guess she & Jamie share an in-joke about it and that’s all it is? But, any chance to castigate Meghan! You know? They’ll always try to blow up anything they can find.
They agreed not to use it for commercial purposes. A private note to a friend is not commercial.
Using your titles isn’t some weird behavior. I have never seen anyone being judged for using their titles before Meghan came into the scene. White people are proudly signing their titles into everything they do. It is her name and her titles. She can use it however she wants.
Idk, I can see it coming off as rather formal for a gift for a friend, in the same way as signing it “Dr Meghan Sussex” or “Meghan Sussex, Esq” would seem out of place for the same situation. Worth dedicating a whole article complaining about? Absolutely not lol
@Good With – are you trolling? Cuz you’re attributing her with professional titles that she’s never used. And what may seem to you as being too formal for a friend, consider she might just be using up leftover preprinted cards.
@GoodWitchGlenda, Meghan is a fancy person. She is sending gift baskets to her friends with cards carrying her name. Her titles are part of her name. It doesn’t look cold to me, because that seems to be her personality. She is putting 200% to everything she does, even if it is just a gift basket for her friend. I have known people like her. It doesn’t look weird to me. If you know that kind of person, you understand their intention.
Kirk- I didn’t say she ever used Dr or Esq? I don’t understand that part of your comment. But you’re totally correct that it could be leftover cards!
Sevenblue- I see your point – perhaps I’m just too much of an American lol and find Royal titles to be silly anyway so it seems odd to me regardless.
lol, Meghan is fancy and she loves a monogram, like that sweatshirt with the kids names and all the initial jewelry and then the calligraphy so I bet she loves having cute little cards made up. I mean I guess the issue is those three letters HRH but I’m like until the monarchy is abolished shout that hrh from the rooftops. Get rid of it for all or not at all.
The deal was with the late Queen. The Queen is dead. Deal off.
As others have said, the deal was off when they reneged on the deal by taking their security. The royal family agreed to protection, funding and their UK home. They took all of that away from them while still lying and leaking on them.
As others and Kaiser have said, the Royal Family did not follow their side of agreement so why should Meghan? Plus Beatrice and Eugenie are not working royals but use their HRH.
She can use this in personal correspondence. No matter how the bots sulk
Unless the monarchy is abolished and no one has titles then oh well the titles exist. Taking them away bc someone isn’t a “working royal” defeats the purpose of a monarchy based on a blood line. So again oh well.
Jais:
I smile reading this, because we abolished them 1918. And still there is a person called prince of Prussia or ernst August prince of Hanover etc. OK, no HRH anymore that’s abolished. The rest is their name.
HA that’s true!
I too remember it as a promise of not using it for commercial use. I read the story in the Indy this morning, they too left out that the promise was for ‘commercial use’ thus misleading their readers. The Indy used to be considered a good newspaper, I was disappointed. It was the sort of thing that I expect from the Fail.
I believe I read that the Independent is now owned by the Daily Fail group? But in any event, the current editor used to be one of the main editors of the Daily Mail. You can tell, based on the slant in the way they now cover the news and they began using H+M as clickbait with extremely reactionary/tabloidy headlines at the top of the site since he arrived.
The crash out from the rota rats was predictable and the podcast was rattling them: Meghan basically said F U to the BM for the 9+ years of abuse from them. Commoner Kate and her social climbing family may be willing to cut deals with the media for favorable coverage so to be accepted into royal and aristocratic circles but American born Meghan won’t. The BM is mad they can’t control the wife of the 5th in throne since they have a future queen consort on a leash.
I swear, this is the dumbest thing ever. With everything going on, you think the RR would be embarrassed.
So they’re not talking about Meghan referring to her husband the totally HOT, handsome FOX, who LOVES her to pieces, and goes out of his way to care for, protect and uplift her and their babies. I think someone should do wellness checks on the misses Kelly, McCain and Frankle to make sure they haven’t harmed themselves.
Oh, and fact that she is vocalizing that she is over the “proving” game, and has come to terms that it doesn’t matter what she does, they will never find her worthy. But that’s their problem not hers!
Go Meghan!! Keep your peace girl!!
This. Meghan says that man loves me so much. Which they promptly ignore. And then cry about a title. How sterile and joyless.
Regardless of the ridiculous debate about HRH, can I just say I had a visceral reaction to the return of the sexist and insulting “Megxit”? I hate this so much.
Was the agreement written, verbal, contractual?
Was the agreement only done with the Queen with a temporal limitation?
Did Chuckie make a new agreement with the Sussexes?
At this stage, good luck rats. They’re HRH so live with it. Ask your fascist politicians to reintroduce the bill on removing their titles and we can get the ball rolling on a British republic. It only takes one card to fall to have this entire House of Windsor collapse under its expensive irrelevant weight.
I think what is really eating away at these people rotten core is when Meghan said that her HUSBAND LOVES ME SO MUCH AND WILL DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT THIER FAMILY. Hang on that you gutter rats . Nothing you do or say will stop Harry the ginger Prince from loving his Black Princess , the mother of his children, the love of his life . PERIOD
This is totally it. They are mad that she finds him hot and describes him as a protector for their family. I knew they would lose it. Meanwhile the festive glance couple have never spoken about each other in that way. That is what they cannot stand.
They are mad because she refuses to ask their permission for anything, which denies them the pleasure of refusing their permission for everything.
KEEP USING THE HRH MEG, YOU AND THE FOX 🦊 ARE MY FAVORITE ROYALS 🤩🤩🤩
This is such a non-story. The deal as I understood it was Harry and Meghan would not use the HRH title for any commercial ventures. Which they have not.
They never lost the HRH title, and it was used as a card to send a private gift basket to her neighbor and friend. It was done privately. Which is perfectly fine to use.
Just let the woman live her life! She married into a royal title. It’s hers to use however it’s appropriate and agreed upon. They have abided by all the rules set on them by the Queen and now the King. Who has been nothing but a jerk to his own son, daughter in law and grandchildren.
I wouldn’t be surprised when William ascends to the throne one day. His first agenda will be to try and strip them of all their titles and birthrights.
I’m so glad they’re doing this. Let the British establishment try to take their styles and titles away. 😄
Hey, rota, listen to what she said: She doesn’t have to prove to you that she’s worthy of using the HRH.
Go cry in your PG Tips tea.
Read what was on the covers of the papers today and the torygraph is pathetic for having this on their front page. The UK media and their readers badly need therapy.
William in another rage? He might want to watch that or his reign will be shorter than Charles’.
However, a 12 or 13 year-old king could bring a welcome maturity unseen for ages.
Harry and Meghan are free to do whatever they want. It’s not their fault they do everything with a style, dignity and grace that harkens back to the old Queen.