King Charles has made clear that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will retain their status as private citizens and non-working members of the Royal Family, even as they spend an extended period in Britain.
The clarification was set out in a letter from the Lord Chamberlain, issued on the King's behalf and circulated among senior government officials, military authorities and Lord Lieutenants, according to reports.
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The letter reiterated that Harry and Meghan stepped down from their representative duties on behalf of the Sovereign in January 2020 and have not returned to the working Royal Family since. "It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," the guidance said.
It also stated that their His and Her Royal Highness styles remain “in abeyance” and are not to be used. Their charitable activities are considered personal initiatives and are undertaken in a private capacity.
The guidance effectively places Harry and Meghan in a position comparable to private citizens who retain royal rank while pursuing commercial and charitable interests independently.
The Palace has also indicated that security-related matters concerning the couple should be addressed by individual police forces rather than being treated as part of their royal duties.
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The clarification comes amid renewed public interest following Harry and Meghan's return to Britain, raising questions over whether their 2020 arrangement, agreed with the late Queen Elizabeth II, remained applicable.
Buckingham Palace's position is that the arrangement continues. The couple will not resume official duties, receive public funding for royal work or have their commercial and charitable activities managed by the Palace.
Their UK return, therefore, does not represent a restoration of their working-royal status.
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