King Charles III says Harry and Meghan remain outside the royal family

King Charles III has made clear that Harry and Meghan remain outside the working royal family, despite their return to the United Kingdom with their two children after six years in California.

“There will be no changes to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their treatment as Their Royal Highnesses remains suspended and will not be used,” the king said in a letter responding to requests for clarification. The letter was signed by a representative of Charles “under his direction.”

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There will be no changes to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their treatment as Their Royal Highnesses remains suspended and will not be used.

The document says the couple chose “respect for their financial independence and the protection of their privacy” when they stepped back from royal duties. That choice, it says, will continue to be fully respected. Charles described Harry and Meghan as “private citizens with commercial and charitable interests” while they live in the United Kingdom.

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respect for their financial independence and the protection of their privacy

The Sandringham Agreement, under which they gave up their status as active members of the royal family in January 2020, remains in force. Their position outside the Crown does not prevent their charitable work, the king said, but that work is a private matter for the couple. Communications concerning them must go through their own office, separate from Buckingham Palace.

Harry returned on Aug. 26 with Meghan and their children, Archie and Lilibet, after six years away. The children have enrolled in a British school, and the family is reportedly seeking a move to the Cotswolds. Harry is also still trying to resolve the level of publicly funded police protection available to his family, an issue over which he has lost a long legal battle.

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private citizens with commercial and charitable interests