A former royal butler has shed light on a scenario in which King Charles III might be compelled to intervene in Meghan Markle’s business ventures, particularly if her Royal title is perceived as being used for commercial gain.
Grant Harrold, who previously served King Charles and Queen Camilla, spoke to Prime Casino about recent speculation surrounding the Duchess of Sussex’s reported plans to expand her lifestyle brand, As Ever, into the hospitality industry.
While the Royal family has thus far refrained from interfering in Meghan’s post-royal career, Harrold warned that this could change if she is seen as leveraging her HRH (Her Royal Highness) status to promote profit-driven ventures. He suggested that any official action—such as revoking her HRH title—would likely be communicated directly to Prince Harry by King Charles himself.
“There could be repercussions,” Harold explained, if Meghan were to use her Royal designation to boost her commercial enterprises. While Harry and Meghan retain their HRH titles, they no longer use them following their departure from royal duties in 2020.
The conversation comes amid whispers that Meghan is considering a move into the hotel business, potentially branding As Ever to offer “hospitality services.” Harrold expressed skepticism about such a shift, arguing that it may not align with Meghan’s established image.
“I don’t quite know why she’ll want to go down that route, because from a hospitality point of view, that’s going to cost a lot of money, and then she has to run it,” he said. “If it’s a failure, that’s going to be a very expensive failure.” He further questioned the logic behind entering such a demanding sector, especially given Meghan’s well-known passion for health and wellness.
“I can understand she wants to have a retreat or something because she’s into wellness,” Harrold added, “but a hotel doesn’t really make sense with her brand.” While it remains unclear whether Meghan will move forward with any hotel-related projects, her lifestyle brand, As Ever, has been expanding steadily.
The Duchess has already launched a line of jams, and a rosé wine under the brand is set to debut on July 1. Harrold’s comments reflect the tightrope Meghan walks as she balances her royal past with her entrepreneurial ambitions. The issue of whether she is capitalizing on her royal status has remained a point of contention among critics and commentators alike.
For now, the Palace has remained silent on Meghan’s business plans. However, as Harold suggests, that could change should the Duchess venture too far into commercial territory using royal associations.