King Charles confirms Prince Harry and Meghan's royal status as letter released
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be working royals when they return to the UK, as a royal aide has sent a letter explaining they're going to be private citizens.
They recently announced they would be moving back to the UK after spending several years living in the US, and the matter of whether or not they were going to resume royal duties has been answered.
Their return triggered requests for guidance from government departments over what would be going on with Harry and Meghan, and King Charles instructed Lord Chamberlainn Richard Benyon to send a letter clearing the matter up.
Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals in 2020 and it's clear that they will continue not to take up royal family work while they're living in the UK.
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The letter says: "Following the decision by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to relocate to the UK, we have received a number of requests for guidance. To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that the following information be shared.
“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.
“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.
"It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used.
“The charitable work of the duke and duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity.
“In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
In essence they will continue on as they have been doing, just with a different address where they're based in the UK rather than the US.
More to follow.
Topics: King Charles III, Royal Family, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle
Joe Harker