King Charles III said Monday that his son, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan, should not be considered “working members of the royal family” after the couple moved back to Britain from the United States.
Harry and Meghan left Britain and stepped down from royal duties in 2020 following a dispute with the royal family. However, in a surprise move last month, Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, returned to live in the U.K. with their two children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5.
In a letter, Charles made clear that the couple’s status is similar to that of private citizens and that they should not be addressed as His and Her Royal Highnesses. Working royals are members of the royal family who carry out official duties on behalf of the monarch and receive administrative and other support from the Royal Household.
The letter, issued by the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the Royal Household, said there had been “a number of requests for guidance” following the couple’s return to Britain. It was issued to avoid any confusion about their status.
The letter said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from carrying out official duties on behalf of the sovereign in January 2020 and are no longer working members of the royal family.
It also said their position is separate from the official duties carried out by working members of the royal family. The couple’s financial independence and privacy would continue to be respected.
The current senior working royals include Charles, his wife, Queen Camilla; their son and heir, Prince William, and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales; as well as Charles’ sister, Princess Anne, and his brother Edward and Edward’s wife, Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. Several of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s cousins also carry out royal duties.
Harry and Meghan, officially known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are reportedly living in the Cotswolds region of central England. They are also said to have enrolled their children in private schools there for the upcoming academic year.
When Harry and Meghan stepped down from royal duties in 2020, Queen Elizabeth removed their use of the “Royal Highness” titles, police protection and public funding. The letter also confirmed that their styles as His and Her Royal Highness are not used.
The letter said the couple’s charitable activities are personal matters and are carried out in a private capacity. It described their position as similar to that of private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.
The clarification comes as questions remain over whether the Sussexes will receive state-funded security and, if so, what level of protection they will have.
