"Outrageous Use of Titles." The Royal Family is Outraged by Meghan Markle's New Business

Prince Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, has launched candles named after their children's birthdays, drawing the ire of the royal family, Page Six reports, citing a Buckingham Palace insider.

The candles Meghan released are listed on her brand As Ever's website as #506 "Prince Archie of Sussex's Birthday" and #604 "Princess Lilibet of Sussex's Birthday." The scent of the former is described as "a warm scent that brings a soft ambiance to the room" with notes of ginger, neroli, and cashmere—a subtle nod to Archie's red hair through its honeyed, golden notes. The latter has a "light floral scent that fills the home with a sense of light" with notes of sandalwood and water lilies—a reference to Lilibet's name.

A Buckingham Palace insider reports that the royal family is deeply outraged by Meghan and Prince Harry's use of their children and their titles for their business ventures. When Harry and Meghan stepped down as royals in 2020 and moved to the United States, Queen Elizabeth II allowed them to retain their titles as Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but the couple is strictly prohibited from using them for profit. "This advertising campaign is an outrageous exploitation of Archie and Lilibet's titles. Queen Elizabeth II never intended for them to profit from this," the insider stated.

Meghan has previously featured six-year-old Archie and four-year-old Lilibet in her brand's advertising materials, including a collaboration with a florist. A source close to the couple insists that Meghan uses children in her business "very carefully" and with Harry's approval. "Meghan is a mother, and her brand is dedicated to family and home comfort. She doesn't put her children on display," the insider said. They also have bills to pay: Meghan and Harry spend an estimated $3 million a year on security alone. "They need to make a living somehow," the source added. The British public previously criticized Prince Harry and Meghan for demanding security at their expense. Harry has already lost a lawsuit demanding a review of the decision to deny them security.

As a reminder, in the summer of 2016, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (the son of Princess Diana and King Charles III) met on a blind date through a mutual friend, and they began a relationship. They announced their engagement in November 2017, and six months later, their lavish wedding took place in Windsor. They had two children, Archie and Lilibet. In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their royal duties and moved to the United States with their children. Since then, their relationship with the royal family has been extremely strained, fueled by the couple's high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they spoke unflatteringly about life in the palace, and Prince Harry's controversial autobiography, in which he criticized members of his family.

It was previously reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not invited to this year's Met Gala.

Photo: meghan, adamamengual, aseverofficial/Instagram**