Royal note returned by newspapers (7)
I believe the answer is:
empress
'royal' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'note returned by newspapers' is the wordplay.
'note' becomes 'me' (musical note as in do-re-me).
'returned' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'newspapers' becomes 'press' (the press is the newspaper industry).
'me' reversed gives 'em'.
'em'+'press'='EMPRESS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for empress that I've seen before include "Maria Theresa, perhaps" , "She rules a vast realm" , "In Victoria, say" , "1 across was from 1877" , "one married to ruler?" .)