King Charles approved a letter to senior British officials on Monday confirming that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain non-working royals after returning to the UK.
The letter was shared with Harry’s team and sent to senior government and military officials. It explained that Harry and Meghan have not been working members of the Royal Family since they stepped down from official duties in 2020.
Royal journalist Chris Ship responded to the letter on X. He questioned whether the King was warning Harry and Meghan to stay out of royal matters or simply repeating information that was already known.
Ship also said it was unusual for this type of letter to be released publicly.
Journalist Rebecca English said officials insisted that the letter contained nothing new. However, she suggested that its release showed how concerned the palace was about Harry and Meghan’s sudden return to Britain.
Her comments came after sources close to the couple reportedly told selected media outlets that they planned to do more charity work in the UK.
The letter explained that Harry and Meghan’s activities remain separate from the official duties carried out by working royals. It also said their financial independence and wish for privacy would continue to be respected.
“There is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” the letter said.
It added that Harry and Meghan’s charity work is a personal matter and must be carried out privately, not on behalf of the Royal Family.
“In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests,” it stated.
The letter received different reactions from supporters of Prince Harry and Prince William. Both groups said it supported their view of the royal dispute.
One Harry supporter said the King had simply confirmed what the couple had been doing for the past six years. The supporter also noted that Harry and Meghan had never said they wanted to return as working royals and called on the British media to leave them alone.
A person who appeared to support William offered a different view. The person said the King had set a clear boundary by making the letter public. They claimed this would prevent Harry and Meghan from misleading charities and other organisations about their royal status.
