King Charles III has sent a letter that spells out exactly where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand in the royal family.
The letter made it clear that the couple remain non-working royals and will not represent the Crown.
It’s an official message sent on the king’s behalf by the Lord Chamberlain, a senior palace official. It was shared with Harry’s team, government departments, military officials, and the king’s local representatives across the UK.
What does the letter actually say?
In simple words, the letter says Harry and Meghan are not working royals and won’t be again; specifically, they stepped back from royal duties in January 2020 and are “no longer working members of the royal family.”
This indicated they can’t use their “His and Her Royal Highness” (HRH) titles. Those titles are frozen “in abeyance,” meaning they exist but aren’t used. They are not effectively private citizens with their own commercial and charitable interests.
It is also made clear that they are now effectively private citizens with their own commercial and charitable interests. Any charity work they do is done personally, not on behalf of the Crown. They do not represent the king or the royal family at any event.
Why was it sent?
Harry and Meghan moved back to the UK from California in August with their children, Archie and Lilibet. With the couple expected to make public appearances this autumn, the king wanted to make one thing clear: none of their visits should be treated as official royal engagements.
The letter makes no big changes practically, but symbolically it’s a firm closing of the door.
2026-09-14 21:35:00
