Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, had only two minutes to process a letter from King Charles before his announcement was made public, according to insiders. Buckingham Palace released a letter clarifying that the Sussexes remain non-working members of the Royal Family despite their return to the UK.
Letter received just over an hour before release
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 therefore had little time to respond, becoming aware of the letter only two minutes before its release.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex says the couple were surprised by the letter. They added that Harry and Meghan "were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance".
King reiterates Harry's status
The communication 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 the 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.
It continued to add that any charity work carried out by the couple will be carried out in a private capacity. The letter also added that security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies.
Lord Chamberlain's statement
The Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, said in the letter: "To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that (this) information be shared."
The clarity comes after the couple made the move from the US to the UK six years on from stepping back from royal duties in 2020. At the time, Queen Elizabeth II made clear that the couple could not be part-time royals and they had to give up their royal positions if they wanted to pursue commercial arrangements. This was reiterated by Charles when he became king in 2022.
Security concerns and ongoing tensions
Following Harry and Meghan's return to the UK there has been concern about the dynamic in which the couple will operate alongside working members of the royal family, and what further tensions could arise. For Harry, the security question has been a long-running battle with the government as publicly funded police protection was cancelled when the couple gave up their royal duties. Harry and Meghan's representatives and Buckingham Palace have been contacted for further comment.
