Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not surprised by what King Charles said about their royal status. They were surprised by how little warning they received before the message became public.
A letter sent at the King’s direction on September 7 reaffirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain non-working members of the royal family and conduct their charitable and commercial activities privately. The guidance was circulated to senior government and military officials and the King’s representatives around Britain.
Harry, Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, returned to live in Britain late last month after six years based primarily in California. The move does not restore any official royal duties, and the family is living in a private residence rather than a royal property.
The Sussexes’ team received the guidance shortly before it reached the media and was still trying to clarify parts of it while Harry was in a meeting. A spokesperson later said the couple were “a little surprised” they had not been given more advance notice.
The Sussex Team Had Little Time to Respond
The letter came from Lord Chamberlain Richard Benyon, the most senior official in the Royal Household, acting at King Charles’s direction. It was sent to government departments, military officials and Lord Lieutenants to clarify how Harry and Meghan should be treated following their return to Britain.
According to reporting on the timeline, the Sussexes’ office received the document at 1:59 p.m. on September 7. At 2:19 p.m., the team sent Buckingham Palace questions, including whether the guidance had already been distributed.
Harry was in a meeting and could not be reached until 3:09 p.m. By that point, the letter had already been supplied to the media. His team received confirmation at 3:11 p.m. that it had gone out.
A spokesperson for the couple said they were “a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance.” Palace sources have stressed that Harry’s team did receive the letter before it was publicly released, although the timetable gave the Sussexes little opportunity to respond before publication.
The 2020 Royal Arrangement Still Applies
The King’s guidance does not give Harry and Meghan a new status. It restates the arrangement created when they stepped away from working royal duties in 2020.
The couple remain the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their His and Her Royal Highness styles remain in abeyance and are not used. They do not undertake engagements on behalf of the sovereign or formally represent the Royal Family.
The Buckingham Palace agreement announced in January 2020 said the Sussexes would step back from royal duties, stop receiving public funds for those duties and no longer use their HRH styles. It also allowed them to maintain private patronages and associations.
The new guidance describes their position as “akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.” Their charity work is undertaken in a private capacity, while their business activities remain independent from the Royal Household.
The Security Question Is Being Decided Separately
The letter does not decide what police protection Harry, Meghan and their children will receive now that they are living in Britain. Operational security decisions remain with the relevant authorities.
Reuters reports that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as RAVEC, is expected to consider the family’s protection arrangements following their return.
Harry lost a legal challenge over his security arrangements in 2025. After stepping away from royal duties, he no longer automatically received the same police protection available to senior working royals and instead received security decisions based on individual circumstances.
He has repeatedly said the issue affected whether he felt able to bring Meghan and their children to Britain. His family’s move back to the country now gives RAVEC a different set of circumstances to assess.
Harry Has Already Resumed Private Work in Britain
The Sussexes arrived in Britain with Archie and Lilibet on August 26 and are establishing a private home outside London while retaining their California residence. Their children are expected to attend school in Britain.
Harry has already been seen working in London. On September 4, he spent several hours at Tower Bridge Studios on an undisclosed project booked through an independent production company.
He is also expected to continue work connected with causes including the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham in 2027. Meghan is expected to continue her own charitable and commercial projects independently from the Royal Household.
The nature of Harry’s Tower Bridge Studios project has not been disclosed.