Royal Amuse-Bouche: HRH Royal Tea April Newsletter
Royal babies, Prince William in Brazil and Princess Madeleine and Meghan Markle: Royals doing business
Hello Dear Readers,
Welcome to the March edition of HRH Royal Tea’s Amuse-Bouche where we discuss the big stories from this past month. As always, this Amuse-Bouche post is free to all readers. To ensure you never miss a post, subscribe to HRH Royal Tea today.
Prince William in Aberdeen and Brazil???
It’s been a while since we checked in with Prince William.
Last week, he visited Aberdeen last week to launch exciting new initiatives to deliver homes and create employment pathways for those at risk of or experiencing homelessness in the city. Following feedback from his consortium of advocates, the need for employment pathways was identified as crucial to preventing homelessness.
In response to this priority, Hays, one of the UK’s leading recruitment experts, has joined Homewards as an Activator. Through this partnership, they plan to support the Homewards program by securing national and local commitments for employment and training opportunities that will roll out across the six Homewards locations.
Prince William was also joined for this visit by Homewards Advocate, Steven Bartlett, who also made a commitment to supporting the importance of employment through using his platform to showcase the positive role and impact business can have in efforts to end homelessness. Bartlett said:
“This partnership isn’t just about providing jobs, it’s about restoring dignity, possibility, and hope. And if we can prove what’s possible here, we can change the way the country thinks about homelessness for good.”
Prince William’s “Homewards” project, is a five-year initiative launched in 2023, which aims to prevent homelessness by working with six locations across the UK to create locally-led coalitions that will develop and implement tailored plans to address homelessness, including building homes and creating employment pathways. While the work may not be very flashy, it’s undoubtedly changing lives.
The Earshot Prize Instagram page just uploaded a new video! The 2025 Earthshot Prize Ceremony’ll be held in Rio, Brazil!
“Olá, Brasil! The Earthshot Prize is coming to Rio this November! Get ready for big announcements, inspiring stories, and 15 new incredible Finalists from around the world, all in the heart of Brazil.
Surrounded by Rio’s beautiful landscapes and irresistible energy, we’re spotlighting changemakers where innovation and nature unite to regenerate our planet.”
As the post states, this is such a great choice for the organization. Brazil houses the “lungs of the Earth” and is a beautiful, bio-diverse space. While Maths and Science wasn’t our cuppa tea in school, we’re excited to learn more about what’s to come. And it would be wonderful if Kate was able to make the trip.
Babies and Mums
In January of this year, Princess Beatrice’s husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi shared some very happy news on Instagram: He and his wife had officially welcomed their daughter Athena Elizabeth Rose to the world earlier that month:
“She is tiny and absolutely perfect. We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her.”
The Royal Family also made the announcement on their Instagram account noting some personal details about the birth:
Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm.
The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces.
But in a new essay written by Beatrice for British Vogue, the princess reveals a different part of the story, complete with rarely seen pics of Athena. The mom of two opened up about Athena’s pre-term birth, sharing her experience (and fears) after learning she would be born a few weeks before her due date.
It was wonderfully touching and I’m sure Bea and Edo were relieved when they were able to take their baby girl home. Our first son was born a couple of weeks ahead of his due date and the days following, waiting for the all clear, were some of the most harrowing we’ve ever had. We’re so glad Mum and baby are safe and happy at home.
On 16 February 2025, Princess Iman of Jordan and her husband, Jameel Thermiotis, welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Amina, at the Prince Hashem bin Abdullah II Hospital in Aqaba.
Queen Rania, the proud grandmother, paid tribute to her daughter and son-in-law in the caption of her social media post, writing:
‘My darling Iman is now a mother. We’re grateful and overjoyed to meet Amina, our family’s newest blessing. Congratulations Jameel and Iman – may God bless you and your precious little girl.’
Crown Prince Hussein and his wife, Princess Rajwa introduced their daughter, Princess Iman, to her new cousins too. The newest addition to the House of Hashim will not bear a title, as the HRH stylings are passed down from the father.
Baby news always gives us the feels, royal or not, and we hope you feel the same!
Cressida’s New Podcast
Cressida Bonas, who’s pregnant with her second child, announced a new podcast series “Lessons from our Mothers”. Her sister Isabella Branson and mother Lady Mary-Gaye Curzon will serve as her co-hosts:
When our mother, Mary-Gaye, was rushed to intensive care with pneumonia last year, my siblings and I feared we might lose her. I’m close to my mum and we speak most days, so the thought of a world without her was terrifying.
As my sister Isabella and I sat by her hospital bed, we realised how many chapters of her life remained untold. When she recovered a few months later, we committed to sitting with her at her home once a week, recording her memories and asking the questions we hadn’t thought to ask until she became ill: What was it like growing up in England in the Forties and Fifties when food was rationed? What were her dreams when she was young? How did she raise us differently to how she was brought up? Through these conversations, she shared the wisdom she’s gained over the years and the experiences that have shaped her.
This could be quite fun to listen to as Lady Mary-Gaye Curzon has lived a long and storied life. She’s been married four times and tragedy struck her family when Cressida’s father ended his life. There’s no doubt that this will be interesting. Guests include BBC’s award-winning reporter Mishal Husain, Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet, and the wonderful Mary Berry.
Royals and Branding: A Case Study
Princess Madeleine of Sweden made a big announcement last week: She’s launching her own natural skincare line MinLen with Weleda, a Swiss company that leads in the manufacturing of holistic, natural, organic cosmetics and pharmaceuticals for anthroposophic therapy.
The brand was created in response to the “concerning social trend” of children and young people using skin care products with active ingredients unsuitable for their age. It echoes a similar situation in the US with the ‘Sephora Kids’ drama, with Gen Alpha kids taking to Selfridges and Sephora to buy products from popular beauty brands which can contain ingredients unsafe for prepubescent skin. Sweden itself has been toughening restrictions for younger consumers, with Swedish chemist chain Apotek Hjärtat introducing age restrictions on anti-ageing skin care.
On Instagram, Princess Madeleine explained why she’s all in this new venture:
“As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children make mindful choices about skin care products,” said Bernadotte, who is the daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. I felt there was a need for a product line that not only prioritises safety but is also fun to use. Made with natural ingredients, beautifully scented and thoughtfully designed with appealing packaging for the whole family.”
-Princess Madeleine
Princess Madeleine also noted that because this was a private venture, she wouldn’t be using her title on any of business dealings and instead, go by her surname: Bernadotte:
“Our product range will officially launch at the end of the summer and as this is a private initiative, I will use my name Madeleine Bernadotte in my work with MinLen.”
The Swedish Royal House also had this to say:
“Princess Madeleine is launching a new business with the brand MinLen in collaboration with the Swiss company Weleda AG. The decision to establish the company has been made in consultation with the Royal Court. The Office of the Marshal of the Realm has assessed that this private enterprise is compatible with Princess Madeleine’s role as a Royal Highness…As this is a private business venture, independent of her role within the Royal House, Princess Madeleine will use the name Madeleine Bernadotte in business contexts.”
It’s very clear that Madeleine and the Swedish Royal House took great care in making sure that everything about this announcement and partnership was above board. The appearance of members of royal families cashing in on their titles is a long and storied criticism that they seemed keen to avoid.
On their website they also shared this message:
From concept to product creation - Madeleine Bernadotte and the entire Weleda Team have been working closely on the minLen range since January 2024. “Madeleine's passion and personal touch are shaping every step of the journey alongside the Teams at Weleda. We can't wait to launch the products in September 2025!!
The statements make it clear in black and white that Madeline and the Royal Court came to this agreement. In addition, the Court’s statement also clarifies Madeline’s status as a working royal. It’s unlikely this partnership would’ve existed without Madeleine’s royal connection, but using the surname “Bernadotte” doesn’t erase her royal pedigree. Choosing to leave her title out of it is a good faith gesture meant to present this venture as ethical.
On the other side of this dance of trying not to cash in on royal titles, we have Meghan Sussex Markle.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex announced her own ShopMy profile. For those unfamiliar with the concept, ShopMy is an influencer marketing platform that connects brands and creators, by enabling influencers to monetize their online influence. ShopMy helps influencers by creating personalized storefronts where they can share product recommendations and, most importantly, earn commissions on purchases made through their links.
Meghan has come full circle. In his book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, author Valentine Low explained how Meghan clashed with aides in Kensington Palace as she ran amok the strict policies surrounding not accepting gifts from companies. And she privately griped about not being compensated during an official royal diplomatic visit in Australia:
“On the South Pacific tour, Harry and Meghan were going down a storm. Massive crowds were turning out to see them, and Meghan’s refreshingly informal approach to royal visits was proving a hit with the Australian public.
“Behind the scenes, however, it was a different story. Although she enjoyed the attention, Meghan failed to understand the point of all those walkabouts, shaking hands with countless strangers. According to several members of staff, she was heard to say on at least one occasion: ‘I can't believe I’m not getting paid for this’.”
Well, Meghan is certainly getting her cut of cake now. But unlike Princess Madeleine’s example, Meghan’s putting her royal title front and center:
If you admired the makeup she wore during her taxpayer-funded wedding seven years ago, you too can shop what’s in her makeup bag, and she’ll earn anywhere from 9-15% of the proceeds. And what of her partnership with Cesta Collective, the handbag company she personally invested in last year? An investigation uncovered disturbing allegations of extremely low wages paid to Rwandan artisans who craft these high-end handbags for Cesta Collective, despite the company’s previous claims of fair compensation. These luxury bags, retailing for over £700, are reportedly made by women who earn as little as 82 pence per day, translating to just over 10 pence per hour.
Prior to Markle's investment, Cesta Collective boasted on its website about paying Rwandan women “500-700 per cent more than the national average.” However, this statement was quietly removed following Markle's investment announcement in August, coinciding with the onset of investigations into these wage claims.
These concerning claims don’t see to have bothered Meghan enough to think twice about her association with a brand masking their labor arbitrage with colorful PR. One of the Cesta handbags is listed on Meghan’s ShopMy page with her royal title in plain view.
Even the PR packages sent to influencers put her association to the British Royal at the forefront.
Her royal cipher, the “M” with a Crown (the Crown in her cipher is outdated as it’s the crown of a woman married to the son of the heir, which Harry ceased to be upon the death of Queen Elizabeth) is on envelopes and seen on correspondence to creators.
Whereas Princess Madeleine did everything she could to at least create the perception that she wasn’t cashing in on the royal association, Meghan goes in the complete opposite direction. Her title (which we’d be remiss to point out, is from an area in Great Britain she and Harry visited nearly seven years go for half a day and never been back since) reminds the influenced shopper of which family she married into. Victoria Sponge Cake, a quintessential British dessert named after Queen Victoria, was given center stage in the first episode of her show, as she admitted that she doesn’t really bake. Her line As ever, has British afternoon tea staples such as tea and shortbread cookie mixes (which she states “remind her of her time in London”). And her royal titles and cipher are used in a professional capacity to sell crossbody bags made by African women who make 82p a day.
Meghan, for better or worse, seems to have made being royal part of her sales pitch. The titles and all that comes with them are integral to her personality. It’s all rather confusing that on Oprah she espoused and eschewed a title-less persona, yet chooses to make it an indelible part of her marketing strategy. Perhaps, Princess Madeleine finds it easier to part with her Princess title because she’s been royal from birth and one skincare line won’t change that. And perhaps Meghan finds it hard to part from hers, even to sell eyeshadow, because she knows deep down that it’s the royal connection that makes her relevant. Which probably explains the passive-aggressive, name-change reveal.
She’s tying herself to a title that once conferred importance and cache alongside the most famous family on earth. A title that was announced alongside Heads of States and Presidents.
Now? It’s used to sell tea and lipgloss.
In the past, items Meghan was seen wearing’d be sold out for months at a time. After a quick scan of her clothing and accessory options, everything seems to still be in stock. Even her wedding makeup items, which she only recently added last week are still available.
Is it possible that the royal shine has dulled?
Thank you for reading this month’s Amuse-Bouche!
We’ve received many emails and questions about whether we’re going to cover the Sentebale news and the answer is, yes. Because this is such a sensitive topic, we wanted to do right by the discussion. It’s quite concerning that yet again, Harry and his organizations in Africa are in the hot seat. And if any of these stories stick? It’s going to be absolutely catastrophic for him.
Yours in Royal Tea,
Lady Sinclair
Great post......Happy for the "moms"......and many thanks for exposing the "grifter" making money off her title versus Princess Madeline of Sweden that exhibits such class in her new ventures.....I had no idea about the exposure of the potential harmful chemicals in makeup that
young ladies are experimenting with these days....to be honest, I agree with Princess Madeline's purpose for all women in the cosmetics arena, not just children...who knew?
Appreciate your articles so much.