Prince William’s US charm offensive has only just begun

Prince William may be looking to capitalize on his recent stateside success with the news that his foundation has filed a trademark application to expand its charitable outreach in the U.S.

The move suggests that the prince and his wife Kate could be looking to increase their presence in the U.S, the country that royal relations, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have called home since their dramatic split from the monarchy in 2020.

“This application is extremely timely,” royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Newsweek. “William’s recent visit to the Earthshot Prize Summit in New York was highly successful. The recent Gallup poll where he was voted America’s most popular public figure is enormously significant.”

On May 12, 2023, William and Kate’s philanthropic organization known as “The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales” filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), to protect its name for use for activities in the U.S. principally connected with mental health charity work, as first reported by the Daily Mail on Saturday.

These include: charitable fundraising; promotional campaigning; educational and cultural activities; research services; healthcare services; licensing of intellectual property; clothing; and printed matter such as banners or posters.

On why trademark applications are filed, a marketing expert previously told Newsweek that the process was a standard practice that formed an “important element of building and protecting a brand.”

The move comes as William undertook a celebrated visit to New York City in September, where he attended the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit, met with leading global figures and spent time with the city’s first responders to discuss mental health.

The prince was met with large crowds for his public-facing appearances and spoke warmly of joining New Yorkers in their morning routines by going for a jog unnoticed in Central Park.

William’s visit came swift on the heels of the results of a Gallup poll that found he was the most positively viewed public figure likely to unite Americans, beating President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Exclusive polling for Newsweek in September also showed that William and Kate are the most popular living royals among Americans, with Kate taking the top spot with a net approval rating of +33 and William coming in a close second at +28.

The couple made a joint appearance in the U.S. in December 2022, where they undertook a three-day visit to Boston for the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony. William founded the prize in 2020 to award grants to eco-initiatives.

“As the future king and queen William and Catherine have a unique profile and special opportunities for charitable work are likely to follow from this, especially in the field of mental health, where so much was achieved by Princess Diana, who was adored in America,” said Fitzwilliams.

“There is speculation that the request for a trademark for printed matter, banners and posters might be linked to a sponsored run,” he continued. “Both William and Catherine are sporty and this would have wide appeal.”

With any work undertaken by William and Kate in the U.S. inevitable comparisons are drawn with that being done by Harry and Meghan, particularly after the feud between the couples was laid bare by Harry in his January 2023 memoir, Spare.

One aspect of Harry and William’s relationship which was laid bare in Spare was the brothers’ competitiveness. In one section, Harry claims William attempted to claim Africa as his territory for charitable work, while also alleging that William was jealous of Harry’s freedom and successes.

William did not respond to the claims made in Spare, but while the family feud continues, Fitzwilliams noted, comparisons and the potential for stepping on each other’s toes will be hard to ignore.

“Harry and Meghan’s popularity in the U.S. has appeared to be on the wane,” he said. “Certainly the Waleses’ trademark application is a threat to them whilst the rift in the royal family remains so deep, as the Sussexes have always attached such importance to the popularity of their brand in the United States.

“It would, of course, be so much more constructive if they all worked together for charitable purposes,” he said.

No further information regarding the U.S. trademark application for The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales has been released. The application was filed on May 12, with an official receipt being issued by the USPTO on September 5.

The next steps in the process will be for the office to review the application to see if it comes into conflict with any trademarks already in existence.

William and Kate have not currently announced any future events or engagements in the U.S.

Newsweek approached Kensington Palace via email for comment.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek’s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek’s The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.