Meghan and Harry suffer blow as Kate and William make major move in the US

The royal couple have registered the foundation’s brand with the American trademark authorities, according to reports in The Mail.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are believed to have begun working on the initiative towards the end of their summer holidays.

Their foundation’s focus is now on mental health.

Insiders claim the ambitious move is further evidence that the princess, 42, is "on the road to recovery" from cancer as she prepares for a return to "light duties" after completing chemotherapy.

It raises the prospect of a trip to the US, where Prince Harry and Meghan live in California, although it is stressed there are no immediate plans to travel overseas.

The couple last crossed the Atlantic in 2022 for William’s environmental project The Earthshot Prize.

Kate demonstrated last week that charity work is her priority.

Her first private meeting since finishing treatment focused on her Early Years initiative.

The importance of nurturing under-fives has long been a ­cornerstone of the princess’s charitable work.

Her only other engagements on the court circular this year were her attendance at Trooping the Colour in June and presenting the men’s trophy at Wimbledon.

Last year, the Royal Foundation applied for a new US trademark centred on mental health projects, but the plans became stagnant after Kate’s cancer diagnosis.

According to The Mail, a US lawyer acting for Kensington Palace has reignited the proposals.

American projects previously focused on the illegal wildlife trade.

However, an application to the US Patent and Trademark Office last year instead emphasised "campaigning" and "fundraising" linked to "mental health initiatives".

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It also included an unusual request for "printed race numbers, clothing, footwear, headgear", prompting speculation the couple, both keen runners, were planning to host a charity fun run in the US.

In March, their trademark was refused over technicalities.

It was the same month the princess revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer, and the application remained dormant for five months.

Palace sources say the trademark is "internal housekeeping" and the Royal Foundation has no immediate plans to launch a US mental health initiative.