Prince William and Kate Take a Page from Harry and Meghan’s Book with Surprising Move
Prince William and Princess Kate may soon expand their work overseas. That’s right, the pair’s charitable projects, including The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize, and the Princess of Wales’ 'Shaping Us' initiative, are now trademarked under the US Patent and Trademark Office. After years of redefining their work at home, the couple may be embarking on a new chapter in America. Understandably, the move has sparked comparisons to the Sussexes.
Royal commentators see more than just legal paperwork here and suggest the move could start a 'Stateside turf war.' Why? Well, because both William and Kate will now be in direct competition with Archewell Foundation, an organization founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after their royal exit in 2020. The two have built a strong American base through media deals and charity partnerships, but William’s growing popularity in the States has time and again drawn the attention back to the monarchy.
Apparently, the Duchess of Sussex is not happy about the same. A source told OK! magazine that she was 'shocked' upon learning of William and Kate’s US plans. “Meghan was quite shocked when she found out that Kate and William plan to do more work in America after trademarking their foundation’s brand with authorities," the insider shared. So, while the Prince and Princess of Wales have made a couple of trips to America, it has never been considered their main area of focus. So now, according to insiders, "Meghan feels they could be moving in on her turf.”
The tensions run deep. The Royal Foundation was initially co-founded by William and Harry in 2009, with Kate joining later in 2011 and Markle in 2018. Their joint appearance at the first annual Royal Foundation Forum was dubbed the start of the ‘Fab Four,’ but the alliance fractured within a year. Later, the Sussexes launched Archewell, establishing a separate philanthropic identity in California, while William and Kate carried the foundation forward in London.
Kate's growing rapport with Melania Trump has also fueled the debate about a US move. During Donald Trump's second state visit to the UK recently, the two ladies discussed a shared passion for children's welfare that could inspire future collaboration. "It’s definitely the start of what looks set to be a very warm, long-term relationship between Kate and Melania,” an insider told HELLO!.
Dwayne Fields, the Chief Scout who led the event, said, “From what I’ve seen, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were to go away and collaborate on something in the US." With Kate's 'Shaping Us' and Melania's 'Be Best' initiatives aligning in values, a joint UK-US youth project is a real possibility in the coming months.