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🇪🇸 Spain /Culture & Society

King Charles reaffirms that Harry and Meghan remain outside the working royal family despite UK return

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • King Charles III said Harry and Meghan’s return to the United Kingdom will not change their status as non-working royals.
  • A letter sent to senior government, military and royal officials says their titles remain suspended and they must be treated as private individuals.
  • The couple’s 2020 decision to give up representative duties remains in force, while security questions should continue to be handled by the relevant police authorities.

King Charles III has made clear that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain outside the working royal family, despite their announced return to the United Kingdom for an extended period.

In a letter sent to senior figures in the British government, the military and the royal household, the king said there would be no change to the couple’s current status. Their titles, he wrote, are suspended, and they should be treated as private individuals. Their use of the style His Royal Highness also remains suspended.

Harry and Meghan’s titles are suspended and they must be treated as nothing more than private individuals.

· King Charles IIIThe king stated that the couple’s return to Britain would not restore their status as working royals.

The letter was sent through the Lord Chamberlain, the highest-ranking official in the royal household, and was shared in advance with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It refers to the couple’s decision in January 2020 to give up representative duties on behalf of the monarch. That arrangement, known as the Sandringham agreement, remains in force.

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.

· King Charles IIIThe letter clarified the couple’s titles and forms of address.

The statement also says the couple’s independence in financial matters and their desired privacy will continue to be respected. At the same time, Charles advised that security issues should be directed to the relevant police authorities.

Security remains an unresolved issue for Harry. He previously challenged the British government in court over protection for visits to the United Kingdom. After losing that case in May 2025, he said he could not at that time see a world in which he could return with his wife and children. The Home Office accepted a reassessment of the threats he faces during visits to Britain in December.

It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess gave up their representative duties on behalf of the sovereign and are no longer active members of the royal family.

· King Charles IIIThe letter reaffirmed the basis of the couple’s current position.
About this summary

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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