King Charles III has formally reaffirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, remain non-working members of the British Royal Family despite their recent return to live in the United Kingdom, with the couple saying they were surprised by the way the clarification was released.
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The position was set out in a letter sent on behalf of the King by the Lord Chamberlain to Prince Harry’s team, government departments, military officials and Lord Lieutenants, making clear that the arrangement agreed when the Sussexes stepped back from royal duties in 2020 remains unchanged.
The letter stated that Harry and Meghan would continue not to use the styles of “His Royal Highness” and “Her Royal Highness” and that any public or charitable activities carried out by them would be undertaken in a private capacity rather than on behalf of the monarch or the Royal Family.
“It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of the Sovereign, and are no longer working members of the Royal Family,” the letter said.
It added: “The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity.”
The clarification follows the Sussexes’ return to the UK from California with their children, Archie and Lilibet, a development that had renewed public discussion over whether their relationship with the monarchy or their official status might change.
The Palace letter, however, effectively restated the terms of the 2020 arrangement reached when Harry and Meghan withdrew from frontline royal duties.
Under that arrangement, often referred to as the Sandringham Agreement, the couple could not retain a “half-in, half-out” position in which they pursued independent commercial interests while simultaneously acting as working representatives of the Crown.
The letter said the King had directed that the information be circulated “to help avoid doubt or confusion,” particularly ahead of anticipated public appearances by the couple in the coming months.
Harry is expected to continue supporting charitable causes, including the Invictus Games, which are due to be held in Birmingham next year, while reports have suggested Meghan may be considering a return to acting.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess said the couple were surprised by the way the letter was made public and by the limited opportunity they were given to respond before its release.
They “were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance,” the spokesperson said.
Royal sources, however, maintained that Harry and Meghan had been informed about the letter before it was publicly released.
The difference appears to centre largely on timing. The couple’s representatives reportedly received the document a little over an hour before it was released to the media, while Harry himself was said to have been in a meeting and was contacted only shortly before publication.
The dispute over the timing of the announcement comes as another significant issue surrounding the Sussexes’ return to Britain — their security arrangements — is also being reviewed.
The Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as RAVEC, is expected to meet this week to consider the level of taxpayer-funded protection that should be provided to Harry and Meghan now that they are resident in the UK.
RAVEC, which includes representatives of the Home Office and other relevant agencies, determines protective security arrangements for members of the Royal Family and other high-profile individuals.
Harry has previously challenged the withdrawal of automatic publicly funded police protection after he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to North America.
The Home Office declined to discuss the details of any security deliberations, citing longstanding policy.
“The UK government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security,” a Home Office spokesperson said.
The King’s letter similarly stated that operational security matters concerning the Sussexes should continue to be handled by the appropriate police and government authorities.
“Any operational security issues should continue to be directed to the relevant police authorities,” it said.
Harry and Meghan stepped back from official royal duties in 2020 and subsequently relocated to North America, where they pursued commercial arrangements and independent charitable work.
Queen Elizabeth II made clear at the time that they could not continue as part-time working royals while pursuing private commercial ventures, a position later maintained by Charles after he became King.
Their move back to Britain has therefore not altered their constitutional or working relationship with the monarchy.
While Harry remains a prince and both retain the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Palace has now made explicit that their engagements, charity work and public appearances remain private activities and should not be treated as official royal duties.
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