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Prince Harry and Meghan will not return as working members of the British royal family and will continue to live as private citizens, according to a letter issued on behalf of King Charles III.
The letter reaffirmed their status after the couple recently returned to the UK, BBC reported.
Harry and Meghan were reportedly surprised that they were not given advance notice before the letter was made public. Their spokesperson said the couple were “surprised” that they had not been informed beforehand.
However, a royal source said Harry and Meghan had been told about the contents of the letter before it was published on Monday afternoon.
The letter, sent on behalf of the Lord Chamberlain, the senior official at Buckingham Palace, states that Harry and Meghan cannot use the titles “His Royal Highness” and “Her Royal Highness”. They will continue to be treated as private citizens.
Palace sources said copies of the letter were sent to representatives of Prince Harry, government departments, military officials and representatives of the royal family.
The letter also makes clear that if Harry and Meghan attend public events in the future, they will do so in a personal capacity and will not represent the royal family. Their visits and engagements will therefore not be regarded as official royal duties.
It also refers to the agreement reached with the couple after they stepped back from royal duties in 2020. Known as the Sandringham Agreement, it rejected the idea of a position in which they would be “half in, half out” of the royal family.
The letter said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from carrying out representative duties on behalf of the sovereign in January 2020 and are no longer working members of the royal family.
Harry and Meghan returned to the UK from California last month with their children, Archie and Lilibet. They are expected to attend several public engagements in the country next autumn and may also take part in their charitable activities.
Prince Harry is expected to remain involved in various charitable initiatives, including the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham next year.
Meghan, meanwhile, is reportedly considering a return to acting.
