Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain nonworking members of the British royal family after their return to the U.K., according to a letter sent by the Lord Chamberlain on behalf of King Charles III. The clarification comes as the couple moves back to Britain for an extended stay.
King Charles Confirms Nonworking Status Following U.K. Return
King Charles III has made it clear that Prince Harry and Meghan will not assume working royal duties following their return to the United Kingdom, according to a letter sent on behalf of the monarch. The communication, issued by the Lord Chamberlain, reiterates that the couple’s status remains unchanged since they stepped back from official duties in January 2020.
The announcement follows reports that the couple moved back to Britain for an extended period with their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5. Palace officials took the unusual step of releasing the letter publicly to avoid confusion and speculation after receiving requests for guidance from government and military offices, as well as lord lieutenants across the country.
Photo: yahoo.com
The letter was sent to government and military offices, and the Lord Lieutenants in all the British counties just in case they might get confused as the Sussexes start undertaking public engagements. A Buckingham Palace source confirmed to NBC News that the letter had been shared with Harry’s team on Monday, and it was put into the public domain because it would likely have leaked anyway and they wanted to avoid claims of secrecy around what it contained.
“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 Lord Chamberlain, via NBC News
Private Status, Commercial Interests, and Royal Titles
The letter explicitly addresses the boundaries of the couple’s return, noting that their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used. The Lord Chamberlain emphasized that their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests, and that any charity work they undertake will be carried out in a private capacity.
“This position, distinct from the State and Royal duties undertaken by the working Royal Family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected.”
Photo: huffpost.com
The Lord Chamberlain, via NBC News
While Harry retains his place as fifth in line to the throne, and his children are sixth and seventh, palace observers noted that releasing the letter publicly helps prevent the emergence of a competing parallel royal court. Harry has rejected the term non-working Royal and maintains that he was born into the family and still wants to dedicate his life to service despite leaving the institution in 2020. The decision to send the letter and release it publicly demonstrates the concern among some palace observers that the couple’s status could allow them to become a sort of parallel royal court, competing with working members of the royal family.
Questions regarding security arrangements remain unresolved as the family settles into their unspecified new home. The security question is particularly sensitive because Harry has fought a long-running battle with the government for the restoration of publicly funded police protection, which was canceled when the couple gave up their royal roles. The decision about whether to restore the couple’s round-the-clock police protection is a matter for a government panel known as RAVEC, or the Royal and VIP Executive Committee.
King Charles says Prince Harry and Meghan not working royals
Operational security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies, and the letter directs any specific questions from official and State organizations about courtesies or public funds to Buckingham Palace. The return to the U.K. coincides with other developments for Prince Harry, who was sighted for the first time on Monday in a post from Tower Bridge Studios.
