King Charles III has confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan will remain nonworking members of the royal family following their abrupt return to Britain, underscoring their status as private citizens moving forward.
A letter issued on behalf of the king on Monday clarified there has been no change to the couple’s position within the royal family, and that they remain unable to use the titles of “His and Her Royal Highness.”
The letter was issued by Buckingham Palace’s most senior officer, the Lord Chamberlain, and sent to senior officials in the government and military and the king’s personal representatives, “to help avoid doubt or confusion,” it said.
The king’s message also reiterates that the Sandringham Agreement remains firmly in place. The agreement was part of the arrangement the couple reached when they stepped down as senior working royals, banning a “half-in, half-out” role — meaning they could not perform royal duties part time while simultaneously pursuing commercial ventures.
“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.
“The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity,” it added. “In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
A spokesperson for the duke and duchess told the BBC they “were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance.” But royal sources said the couple was made aware of the letter before it was shared with the public, the outlet noted.
When stepping away from their roles as senior members of the royal family in January 2020, the couple announced that, following “months of reflection,” they would “carve out a progressive new role within (the royal) institution.”
Part of that plan, the couple said, included working “to become financially independent.” After relinquishing their royal roles and relocating to California, they pursued several commercial projects, including a production deal with Netflix that included a documentary, “Harry & Meghan,” and a lifestyle series, “With Love, Meghan.”
After their six-year stint in the United States, the couple relocated their family to Britain in late August, with plans to spend “an extended period in the U.K. this autumn,” while retaining their California home.