On September 7, 2026, King Charles III authorized an official letter reaffirming that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain non-working members of the royal family following their recent move back to the United Kingdom.

 

King Charles writes a letter considering Harry and Meghan status

On September 7, 2026, King Charles III authorized an official letter reaffirming that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain non-working members of the royal family following their recent move back to the United Kingdom.

Sent by the Lord Chamberlain—the highest-ranking official in the royal household—the letter provides clear guidelines to government officials, the military, and the Duke and Duchess's team to "avoid doubt or confusion" regarding their status.

Key Directives in the Letter

• Private Citizens: The letter states their position is "akin to private citizens" with commercial and charitable interests.
• No Official Duties: They cannot carry out representative state duties on behalf of the Sovereign.
• Title Restrictions: The couple continues to be barred from using their "His and Her Royal Highness" (HRH) titles.
• Private Charity Work: Any philanthropic projects they undertake must be handled in a purely personal capacity, preventing them from establishing a parallel, unofficial royal court.
• Security Matters: The letter emphasizes that operational security decisions remain strictly the responsibility of relevant police agencies, offering no taxpayer-funded police protection.

Context of the Decision

The letter comes just 12 days after Harry, Meghan, and their children (Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5) returned to the UK from California for an extended stay. Palace observers note that the formal communication was necessary to establish hard boundaries and prevent the couple from using state-affiliated organizations for private work