Weeks after their bombshell announcement that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be returning to the United Kingdom for an extended period of time, King Charles has today issued a firm letter confirming that they will not be working royals.
The Lord Chamberlain, at King Charles’s direction, sent the guidance letter to ‘senior stakeholders’ across the UK, according to the Daily Mail, which broke the news. These include leaders in government, the military, and lord lieutenancies across the UK.
The letter reaffirms that following Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from being full-time working royals in January 2020, their wishes will continue to be respected.
“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,” the letter stated.
Harry and Meghan’s royal styles and titles will remain in abeyance, according to the King, and their charitable work “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.”
The Lord Chamberlain ended the letter directing any questions about courtesies extended to Harry and Meghan be directed to Buckingham Palace while any security questions directed to police authorities. Questions directly for Harry and Meghan are to be sent to the couple’s office, which will continue to operate separately from the Royal Household’s office, the letter states.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the UK for Canada in March 2020, but quickly relocated to California as the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread. They stepped back from full-time royal duties at the time. In mid-August, their bombshell announcement that they planned to return to the UK in the coming weeks and that Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet would be enrolled in school.
