Who called British royal family 'The Firm' and why Meghan's use of it has sparked controversy

The British royal family is often called 'The Firm' when being referred to as an organisation rather than a family, but the two-word moniker is not recognised in an official capacity. Interestingly, it was Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who had coined the term over seven decades ago when he married into the family.

However, the nickname has never been spoken publicly by any member of the royal family in 74 years of its existence. Therefore, Meghan Markle's use of it in her and her husband Prince Harry's upcoming interview with Oprah Winfrey has sparked a huge controversy.

A third teaser for the tell-all interview was recently released, in which the Duchess of Sussex was seen referring to the royal family as "The Firm." "How do you feel about the Palace hearing you speak your truth today," Winfrey asked, to which Meghan said: "I don't know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent if there is an active role that 'The Firm' is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us."

"And, if that comes with risk of losing things, there is a lot that has been lost already," she added.

Roya Nikkhah, Royal Correspondent at The Sunday Times, told Radio 4 about Meghan's use of the term: "The extraordinary phrase in that clip is that she is saying "The Firm" were actively perpetuating falsehoods about her and Harry. I think the use of that phrase "The Firm," it can include both the principals, members of the Royal Family, and members of the household so it remains to be seen who she is going to aim her fire at."

Sources close to the couple clarify that the Duchess of Sussex was referring to the institution of Buckingham Palace, the office of the monarch of England which includes senior courtiers and advisers working for the Crown. It was not intended to be directed to individual royals in terms of their familial relations, reports Mail Online.

However, "The Firm" is understood by many to refer to key members of the royal family themselves, rather than palace staff or courtiers. Eight senior royals who carry out duties on behalf of the Queen and are allowed to represent the Crown constitute the "firm of eight."

Apart from the Queen, the firm includes heir apparent Prince Charles and his wife Duchess Camilla, Prince William, second to the throne, and his wife, Kate Middleton, as well as Queen's only daughter Princess Anne, her youngest son Prince Edward, and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex. All of the Queen's children are among these key personnel excluding Prince Andrew, who had to quit as a senior royal in 2019 due to his alleged involvement with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Emily Andrews, The Sun's royal editor, said that Meghan, with her use of "The Firm," "seems to be directly accusing members of the Royal Family of telling lies about her and Harry," reports Yahoo! News.

"And now they have nothing to lose as 'so much lost already'. This is turning into war 2.0 Sussexes v Royals, reminiscent of the War of the Waleses," she said.

While "The Firm" is now mostly seen as a synonym for the British monarchy, it was initially used by Prince Philip for the family when he joined the House of Windsor in 1947. After tying the knot with the Queen, who was Princess Elizabeth back then, the Duke described their nuptials as "marrying into The Firm."

The members of the royal family including the Prince Consort have avoided repeating the term in public since then, though a recent report in Newsweek claimed that even the Queen herself uses it behind closed doors.