Britain · 07 September, 2026 · 3 min read
King Charles III Confirms Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Remain Non-Working Royals in UK
They will remain private citizens and not undertake royal duties. Letter released on behalf of Charles clarifies no change to their status.
Whether they were informed before the letter became public.
11 of 12 outlets skipped it: palace explains the letter was put into the public domain to avoid secrecy claims.
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Reuters
“A spokesperson for the couple said they had only been informed shortly before it was sent out”Read the original ↗
BBC leads with couple surprise, while Reuters emphasises they were only informed shortly before it was sent out.
Letter Keeps Status Unchanged
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain “private citizens” and “non-working royals” while living in the United Kingdom, King Charles III confirmed in a letter released Monday by the head of the Royal Household.
“Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain "private citizens" and not be working royals”
The letter reiterated that “there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” and said their charitable work is a “personal matter” undertaken in their private capacity.
The guidance also said their “styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used,” and it framed their position as “akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
The couple’s return to the U.K. came six years after they stepped away from senior royal roles and moved to California, and it followed their 2020 agreement that they would no longer use their Royal Highness titles, represent the monarch, or receive public funds for royal duties.
The BBC reported the couple were “surprised” by the King’s message clarifying their non-working status, while royal sources said they were made aware of the letter before it was made public.B
Security Committee Meets
The letter’s publication coincided with a security question for the Sussexes, with the BBC saying a security committee including Home Office representatives is meeting this week to look at the level of taxpayer-funded security that should be given to Harry and Meghan.
The BBC also quoted a Home Office spokesperson saying, “The UK government's protective security system is rigorous and proportionate,” and that it is the government’s “long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements.”B
Reuters reported that Harry and Meghan were surprised by the letter and said their spokesperson told Reuters they had only been informed shortly before it was sent out and they would remain private citizens.R
Reuters added that a committee deciding what level of security Harry should be afforded at public expense is due to meet this week to decide what protection he should have now his family have returned to Britain.R
The BBC further said the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec, decides security for royals and public figures, and it noted that Prince Harry has previously complained about a lack of adequate police protection in the UK.B
Private Capacity, Public Fallout
The letter also drew a line between official royal engagements and the Sussexes’ activities, with the BBC stating that any engagements carried out by the Sussexes will be in a private capacity and they will not be representing the Royal Family.
“any engagements carried out by the Sussexes will be in a private capacity and they will not be representing the Royal Family”
The BBC said the message emphasises that the position agreed in 2020, the so-called Sandringham Agreement, is still in place, ruling out any “half-in and half-out” status for Harry and Meghan.B
In the letter’s wording, the BBC said it “spelt out the non-working royal status” and stated: “The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity.”B
The Washington Post described the letter as an attempt to “avoid doubt or confusion,” saying it was sent by the Lord Chamberlain to help clarify that Harry and Meghan will remain nonworking members after their return to the United Kingdom last month.
The Reuters account said the couple’s return reignited coverage of royal tensions, including Harry’s complaints about the government failing to provide automatic police protection, and it noted that the Sussexes have continued commercial projects such as a Netflix deal and Meghan’s lifestyle brand As Ever.R