King clarifies Harry, Meghan remain non-working royals despite UK return

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not return to carrying out official engagements as working royals following their return to the United Kingdom, Buckingham Palace has said.

A letter sent on behalf of King Charles clarified the status of Prince Harry and Meghan, who moved back to the UK from California with their children, Archie and Lilibet, last month.

According to the Palace, the couple will also not be able to use the “HRH” titles of His and Her Royal Highness and remain “private citizens with commercial and charitable interests”.

BBC on Monday reported that the letter, sent by the Lord Chamberlain, a senior Palace official, was reportedly forwarded to Prince Harry’s team as well as the government, military and Lord Lieutenants.

The clarification means that any engagements undertaken by the Sussexes would be in a private capacity and not on behalf of the Royal Family.

It also reaffirmed the position agreed in 2020 when Harry and Meghan stepped down from their roles as senior working royals and moved to the United States.

The arrangement, known as the Sandringham Agreement, ruled out a “half-in and half-out” arrangement that would have allowed the couple to pursue commercial interests while continuing 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 said.

The message sent on behalf of the King made clear that the arrangement remains unchanged.

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