King Charles III has made it clear that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not return as working members of the British royal family, despite their move back to the United Kingdom with their two children.
The position was outlined in an official letter issued on the King’s behalf to clarify the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s status following their return from California with Archie and Lilibet last month.
Signed on behalf of Charles by the Lord Chamberlain, a senior Buckingham Palace official, the letter states that Harry and Meghan remain prohibited from using the “His Royal Highness” (HRH) and “Her Royal Highness” (HRH) styles and continue to be regarded as private individuals.
The development comes after Harry was reportedly seen in public for the first time since returning to the UK, appearing in a photograph posted on social media by a London television and podcast studio.
Palace sources said the letter had been circulated to Harry’s team, government departments, military officials and Lord Lieutenants, who serve as the King’s local representatives and are typically involved in organising royal visits and official events.
It states that any programmes or public appearances involving Harry and Meghan from now on will be undertaken in a personal capacity and not as representatives of the British royal family.
The move is understood to be aimed at preventing confusion ahead of several public appearances the Sussexes are expected to make this autumn as they settle back into life in the UK and continue supporting charities linked to them.
The King’s message also reaffirmed that the arrangements agreed in 2020 under the Sandringham Agreement remain in place.
Under that agreement, Harry and Meghan cannot hold a semi-official royal status while pursuing their own commercial interests.
“It is well known that in January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their roles as representatives of the King and ceased to be working members of the Royal Family,” the letter states.
It further makes clear that the couple’s charitable activities are considered private matters and are carried out in their personal capacity.
Organisations seeking clarification on how the Sussexes should be received or treated, particularly where public funds are involved, have also been told to refer directly to Buckingham Palace.
Harry and Meghan left the UK in 2020 after their relationship with the royal institution became increasingly strained, details of which were later discussed in their Netflix documentary.
After settling in California, the couple built an independent financial life through various commercial ventures, including Harry’s bestselling memoir Spare and Meghan’s online food brand, As Ever.
Their unexpected return to the UK last summer also raised expectations that their two children would continue their education in the country.
Harry is expected to remain focused on his charitable work, including support for the Invictus Games, which are due to take place in Birmingham next year.
Meanwhile, reports have suggested that Meghan is considering returning to acting.
However, questions surrounding the couple’s security in the UK remain unresolved.
The letter states that any matters concerning security arrangements should be referred to the relevant police authorities.
Harry has previously raised concerns on several occasions over the level of police protection available to him in the UK.
Buckingham Palace has maintained that decisions concerning the security of royals and public figures fall under the authority of the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec.
A palace source said the decision to make the letter public was taken in the interest of transparency and to prevent the information from emerging through unofficial leaks.
Representatives for Harry and Meghan have yet to respond to the contents of the letter.
