Meghan Markle criticised for naming royals in legal papers – ‘Don’t bring them into it!’ – Express

Meghan’s legal team named the two daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson and the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II in newly released documents as part of the Duchess of Sussex’ High Court privacy case. As the battle with the Mail on Sunday and its publisher Associated Newspapers continue, Meghan’s lawyers singled out Beatrice, Eugenie and Prince Michael in response to a claim stating members of the Royal Family don’t work. 

Associated Newspapers told Meghan in its submission filed in January she “is a member of the Royal Family and does not undertake paid work”.

Using three non-working royals as an example, Meghan’s lawyers hit back saying this statement was wrong.

The documents read: “Several member[s] of the Royal Family do ‘undertake paid work’ including, for example, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York and Prince Michael of Kent”.

The Sussex legal team’s decision of naming these royals in the legal documents hasn’t been welcomed by royal historian Marlene Koenig. 

The royal expert, who runs the blog called Royal Musings, wrote on Twitter after these papers were released: “I wish Meghan had not brought Beatrice, Eugenie & Prince Michael into her case.

“They are not working royals & have to earn $.”

In response to another Twitter user who told her Meghan and Harry were “right to leave”, she said: “It is a bit embarrassing that she brought the York princesses and Prince Michael into the case.  

READ MORE: Prince Charles to continue to fund Meghan Markle and Harry 

“She should have known that none are working Royals.”

One Twitter user agreed with Ms Koenig, with social media account Royal Universe saying: “Totally agree. If she didn’t know that those three aren’t working royals, and Prince Michael isn’t a senior royal, she could have asked Harry.”

In a separate tweet, a Twitter user named Duchess Royal wrote: “Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie are not working royals paid by the public. 

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“They work & support their chosen charities on a private basis.”

Another social media user with the nickname Mouth of Truth added: “Yes Meg, they work because They are NOT Senior Working Royals!! Wow!”

Meghan has been a full-time working member of the Royal Family between May 19 2018 and March 31 this year, when she and Prince Harry officially stepped down as senior royals.

Being a senior, full-time working royal means being sustained by the Sovereign Grant while dedicating oneself entirely to representing the Queen and non-profitable projects related to patronages, charities and other non-for-profit initiatives. 

Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and Prince Michael can pursue private and profitable ventures and have jobs because they aren’t full-time working royals despite being patrons of various organisations.

On his website, Prince Michael states he doesn’t receive taxpayers’ funding, saying: “Having been brought up as a member of the Royal Family, Prince Michael has always felt it is his duty to respond in the same way as other members of his family, if requested to help and support a charity or other non-commercial organisation.

“Because he does not receive the parliamentary annuity that the other members of the Royal Family receive, Prince Michael runs his own private consulting business, which helps Prince and Princess Michael to fund and carry out charitable and public duties.” 

Princess Beatrice is Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at Afiniti, a data and software company, while Princess Eugenie is an Associate Art Director at a London art gallery called Hauser & Wirth.

Prince Michael and Eugenie have become neighbours after the York married Jack Brooksbank in October 2018, as the couple moved in the Ivy Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace.

Prior to her marriage, Eugenie had lived at a flat in St James’s Palace with her sister Beatrice, believed to have been paid for by Prince Andrew.