King Charles III has clarified that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain non-working members of the royal family following their return to the United Kingdom. Sent on behalf of the King on Sept. 7, USA TODAY understands, the official letter aims to prevent public confusion regarding the couple’s royal status and commercial activities.
King Charles III directed a formal letter to senior government officials, military officials, and lord lieutenants to establish that Prince Harry and Meghan remain non-working members of the royal family following their relocation back to the United Kingdom.
The Lord Chamberlain Dispatch and the End of Mixed Roles
Distributed on Monday afternoon, the document was issued by the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, to senior officials in the government and military, as well as lord lieutenants, the king’s personal representatives around the country. It explicitly reiterates that the couple will continue to refrain from using the “HRH” titles of His and Her Royal Highness, a restriction in place since they stepped back from senior roles within the royal family in 2020. Any charity work undertaken by the duke and duchess will be carried out in a private capacity, cementing their status as private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.
To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that (this) information be shared,
the letter says. The communication underscored that there can be no half in/half out arrangement when it comes to the British royal family. Multiple reports claimed a senior palace official announced on the King’s behalf that the Sussexes are no longer working royals and will remain private citizens, and sources now allege that Prince William pushed King Charles to clarify Prince Harry’s royal status. As per Rob Shuter, Prince William reportedly urged King Charles to issue a letter confirming that there had been no change to Prince Harry’s royal status following his return to the UK. A royal source said: William had had enough of the confusion. Lord Lieutenancies were asking how Harry and Meghan should be treated. William's answer was brutally simple: nothing has changed. They are out.
Behind-the-Scenes Friction and the Sussex Reaction
The release of the letter caught the Duke and Duchess of Sussex off guard. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex says the couple were surprised to see a letter sent on behalf of King Charles clarifying that Prince Harry and Meghan remained non-working royals, stating that they were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance
. The letter was also shared with government and military officials on Monday, and it was seen by Harry and Meghan’s team about an hour before it was shared by the British tabloids. The duke was in a meeting and, by the time his team could reach him, the letter was about to be shared publicly.
While palace sources told the BBC the duke and duchess were made aware of the letter before it was made public, USA TODAY understands that this was not the case. It is believed representatives for the Sussexes would have liked more time to clarify points in the letter or to respond to the document. The insider claimed that Harry and Meghan received the King’s message shortly before it was made public, leaving the Sussexes with no room for dialogue or negotiation.
Security Protocols and the Path Forward
The timing of the clarification coincides with renewed discussions regarding state-funded security. It is also understood a security committee, which includes Home Office representatives, is meeting this week to look at the level of taxpayer-funded security that should be given to the Sussexes who are now resident in the UK. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee – known as Ravec – decides security for royals and public figures and Prince Harry has previously fought a long-running battle with the government for the restoration of publicly funded police protection, which was canceled when the couple gave up their royal roles.
The Home Office does not comment on such decision making – and would be unlikely to reveal the outcome of such a meeting. “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,” said a Home Office spokesperson. Operational security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies, and the decision about whether to restore the couple’s round-the-clock police protection is a matter for a government panel known as RAVEC, or the Royal and VIP Executive Committee.
