When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family at the end of March, one of the privileges they had to give up was the use of their HRH titles.
This week, we saw what that looks like in the form of a letter written to StreetGames’ CEO Jane Ashworth, which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed off with simply, “Harry & Meghan.”
However, one detail caught the media’s attention: the duke and duchess’ royal monogram, which was displayed at the top of the letter. The monogram includes the letters H and M intertwined and a crown logo, known as a coronet, above the monogram.
Even though the couple is no longer working members of the Royal Family, they are still allowed to use their monogram and coronet because Prince Harry is the son of an heir apparent, according to Hello.
A few days after the couple married in May 2018, a statement released by the Royal Family revealed that the duchess was given a newly created coat of arms and a coronet.
“It is the coronet laid down by a Royal Warrant of 1917 for the sons and daughters of the heir apparent. It is composed of two crosses patée, four fleurs-de-lys and two strawberry leaves,” the statement said.
As the statement notes, this coronet isn’t exclusively used by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but also by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as Prince William and Prince Harry are the sons of the heir apparent to the English throne, Prince Charles.
Currently, William is second in line to the throne and Harry is sixth in line.
WATCH: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are postponing the launch of their new charity. Story continues below.
As detailed on their website, Harry and Meghan, while no longer active royals, still have certain privileges, such as security to keep their family, including their one-year-old son, Archie, safe; their royal patronages, which they still maintain; and Harry’s rank of Major of the British Army and honorary ranks of Lieutenant Commander of the Royal Navy, and Squadron Leader of the Royal Air Force.
The couple also noted in their transition schedule their plans to start a charity this spring, however the COVID-19 pandemic, as well the police killing of George Floyd and the ensuing protests for Black lives, has put their plans on hold.
Instead, while they do intend on launching their charity, Archewell, in the future, the couple now reportedly want to focus their attention on causes related to Black Lives Matter.
According to Town & Country, the duke and duchess have met with leaders involved with BLM, and “equity and justice will continue to be a priority for them in the weeks and months ahead.”
The movement has special meaning for Markle, whose mother is Black and who has written about being biracial. On June 3, the duchess addressed Floyd’s killing during a virtual graduation speech she delivered to her former high school.
WATCH: Meghan Markle speaks out: “George Floyd’s life mattered.” Story continues below.
“I wanted to say the right thing. And I was really nervous that I wouldn’t, or that it would get picked apart, and I realized, the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing,” Markle said.
“Because George Floyd’s life mattered, and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered, and Philando Castile’s life mattered, and Tamir Rice’s life mattered, and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know. Stephon Clark. His life mattered,” she continued.