Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly surprised by a letter from King Charles confirming that they remain non-working members of the Royal Family and private citizens.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they were somewhat surprised that they had not been informed about the letter before it was released publicly. However, royal sources said the couple had been notified before the letter was made public.
The letter, sent by the Lord Chamberlain on behalf of King Charles, confirmed that Harry and Meghan cannot use the titles His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness. It was circulated to Harry’s representatives, government departments, military officials and other authorities involved in royal matters.
The clarification comes after Harry and Meghan returned to the UK with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, on Aug. 26, six years after leaving their roles as senior working royals and moving to California.
The letter reaffirmed the 2020 Sandringham Agreement, which established that the couple could not maintain a partial role within the monarchy while pursuing their private commercial activities.
According to the palace, Harry and Meghan voluntarily stepped away from official duties representing the monarch in January 2020 and are no longer working members of the Royal Family. Their charitable activities are considered private matters and are carried out in their personal capacity.
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