DEBATE: Does the ‘royal’ brand hold any cachet anyway?

Harry and Meghan have dropped the word ‘royal’, but does the brand hold any cachet anyway?

Max Ottignon, co-founder of branding agency Ragged Edge, says YES.

There’s a huge amount of value in the royal brand. It comes with a rich legacy, one that has been carefully curated and protected over time.

And it carries serious financial clout. Figures in a recent report by Brand Finance paint the picture: the business valuation consultancy pegged the British royal family brand at £44bn.

Losing the royal moniker means that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will no longer be able to leverage that value directly.

Of course, there will always be that implicit link — I’m not suggesting that people will forget the association any time soon. And Harry and Meghan will no doubt continue to build on the considerable equity in their own personal brand as a couple.

But the restrictions on using the royal brand explicitly will have a long-term impact on what they are able to do, and how they are able to benefit from it.

It’s why every corporation is so fiercely protective of its trademarks — and it’s why Harry and Meghan will be so disappointed by this outcome.

Alexandra Dunn, founder of the social marketing agency Common, says NO.

Harry and Meghan’s departure is the final nail in the royal-branded coffin. Like House of Fraser, Debenhams and HMV before them, the royals are a tired legacy brand in need of radical transformation.

The role of a brand is to demonstrate an organisation’s values and build an emotional bond with its audience. If the Prince Andrew interview taught us anything, it’s how deeply ill-equipped the monarchy is to represent the values of its modern public.

The Sussexes are a lifeline that the Palace has chosen to ignore. A millennial-ready brand with an eye on the future, they’re multi-ethnic, entrepreneurial, and unconstrained by geography, history or the expectations that society has placed on them.

In the language of branding, Sussex Royal could have been the royal family’s diffusion range, giving them a foothold on the future, and an open door into the hearts and minds of a modern audience. Foregoing the partnership with Harry and Meghan is a huge strategic error that the royals will regret.

Main image credit: Getty