Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly had just two minutes to digest a letter from King Charles before his 'surprise' announcement, according to insiders. Buckingham Palace issued a letter making clear the Sussexes remain non-working members of the Royal Family despite their return to the UK.
A copy of the letter was received by the couple's representatives just one hour and 12 minutes before it was released to news outlets, an insider told AP. At the time, Harry was in a meeting and had little opportunity to respond, becoming aware of the letter only two minutes before its publication.
Couple 'Surprised' by Lack of Advance Notice
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said the couple were taken aback by the letter, adding that Harry and Meghan "were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance".
The correspondence was sent on behalf of King Charles III to senior government and military officials and released to the media on Monday. It stated that Harry and Meghan would continue to refrain from using formal royal titles, such as his royal highness and her royal highness, as they have done since stepping back from official royal duties in 2020.
Letter Details Royal Status and Security
The letter went on to add that any charity work carried out by the couple will be undertaken in a private capacity. It also noted that security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies.
The Lord Chamberlain, the highest-ranking official in the royal household, stated in the letter: "To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that (this) information be shared."
This clarification comes after the couple relocated from the US to the UK, six years after stepping down from royal duties in 2020. At that time, Queen Elizabeth II made it clear that the couple could not be part-time royals and had to relinquish their royal roles if they wished to pursue commercial ventures. This was echoed by Charles when he ascended to the throne in 2022.
Return Raises Questions About Royal Dynamics
Following Harry and Meghan's return to the UK, there have been concerns about how the couple will function alongside working members of the royal family, and what additional tensions might surface. For Harry, the issue of security has been a long-standing dispute with the government, as publicly funded police protection was withdrawn when the couple stepped down from their royal duties.
Representatives for Harry and Meghan, as well as Buckingham Palace, have been contacted for further comment.
