King says Harry and Meghan remain private citizens

King Charles III has made clear that Prince Harry and Meghan will not resume official royal duties after returning to the United Kingdom, saying in a letter released Monday that the couple remain private citizens and are no longer working members of the royal family.

The letter, sent on the king’s behalf by the Lord Chamberlain, says the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not use the titles “His Royal Highness” or “Her Royal Highness” and that any public activity they undertake will be in a private capacity. Charles authorized the letter’s release to “help avoid doubt or confusion,” according to CBS News.

“In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests,” the letter said.

Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working members of the royal family in January 2020. The letter says that arrangement “will continue to be fully respected” and emphasizes that the position agreed when they left the United Kingdom remains in place. The BBC reported that the agreement, known as the Sandringham Agreement, ruled out a “half-in and half-out” role in which the couple could pursue commercial interests while still serving as working royals.

“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 says.

The message was sent to Prince Harry’s team, government departments, military officials and Lord Lieutenants, the monarch’s local representatives, according to the BBC, citing Palace sources. Lord Lieutenants and government staff are often involved in royal visits and engagements.

The letter states that any engagements carried out by Harry and Meghan will not be treated as official royal engagements and that they will not be representing the royal family. It also says their charitable work is a private matter.

“The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity,” the letter adds.

The king’s message says questions from organizations about how the couple should be received, “particularly where recourse to public funds may be required, should be directed to Buckingham Palace,” according to the BBC.

Security remains a separate issue. The letter says “any operational security issues should continue to be directed to the relevant police authorities.” Harry lost a 2024 legal challenge against a government body’s decision to downgrade his security detail during visits to the U.K. after he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties. The BBC reported that the Palace says such matters are handled by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec, which decides security arrangements for royals and public figures.

Palace sources told both CBS News and the BBC that it was better to make the letter public in a spirit of transparency rather than risk it emerging through leaks.

News of Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain broke in late August. The BBC reported on Aug. 26 that the couple had arrived in the U.K. after six years in California and were expected to live in the Cotswolds, an affluent region about a two-hour drive west of London. They moved with their children, Archie, born in 2019, and Lilibet, born in 2021.

Their decision to step away from royal duties and move to California fueled considerable tension with other members of the family. The BBC said Harry and Meghan’s representatives have been contacted for a response.