William and Kate will have been "very pleased" to see a letter on behalf of King Charles providing a clear statement about Meghan and Harry's return, amid a key concern about its impact on the Royal Family, a Palace watcher believes.
Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals in early 2020, subsequently moving to California and making efforts to become financially independent. Tensions have simmered between Harry and members of the firm in the years since. Harry detailed his alleged disputes with elder brother and heir to the throne Prince William, as well as his unhappiness as a central figure in the firm, in his best-selling memoir Spare. The move is believed to have added to the frosty atmosphere between him and the famously private family.
Statement on the Sussexes' status
On top of that, the Duke of Sussex's so-far unsuccessful efforts to have state-funded security equal to that of senior royals restored - a decision made by an independent government body, not the royals - is thought to have been another source of friction.
Since the Sussexes' departure from the UK, rumours have swirled about when and if they would come back to Britain, and whether they can mend relations with the Palace. Despite the reported rift, the Duke has made short trips to see the King, who is undergoing cancer treatment, and visited him with Meghan and their children in July. Then in August, it was reported that the Sussexes would be making a surprise return, with their two children enrolling in schools here, though they would not be returning to frontline royal duties. They have since arrived back in the UK.
Palace statement and reaction
On Monday, Richard Benyon, the Palace's most senior officer, put out a statement conveying information the King had asked to be shared on the matter. "It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of The Sovereign, and are no longer working Members of The Royal Family," it read, in part. "This position, distinct from the State and Royal duties undertaken by the working Royal Family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected. It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used."
It added that the "charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity. In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests."
Key concern for the Waleses
Daisy McAndrew spoke about the impact of the letter during an interview with Nick Ferrari on LBC. She said it "will smart a bit" for the Sussexes to see the Palace's position laid out in "black and white", in a tone of "nothing's changed nothing to see". However, on the other hand she thinks it is "quite useful for it to be written down" with it made clear they are welcome back and the monarch is happy to see them return, but they will not get any more official status than they had previously.
Ferrari said that though it is not known what Prince William's attitude towards the letter and its wording was, he imagined there was considerable degree support for it from the heir to the throne. McAndrew said her feeling was the Prince and Princess of Wales will have been "very pleased to see something put down" but does not believe they wanted to see a "snub" or further worsen relations between the Palace and the Sussexes.
"But of course, the roles that the royal family do, and the official events that they choose to undertake are carefully thought through, and there is rhyme and reason behind those. And those charitable organisations, all those events that they choose to do are sending a message, and I think the last thing that Charles or William, as next in line to the throne, need at the moment is anything that's going to upset the applecart as far as the work they are trying to do," she said.
The Sussexes also support various charitable endeavours in a private capacity, with Harry Founding Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation that supports wounded veterans. From the Waleses' perspective, the Palace watcher said it is "not necessarily being jealous about sharing the limelight, but it is about having your own work, perhaps, overlooked because all the attention and all the oxygen is being directed in one direction and towards one couple".
McAndrew said it is difficult, particularly for William, who is thinking hard about the sort of monarchy he wants to be the figurehead of when his father dies, to "suddenly" have something happen which is out of his control - "which is Harry and Meghan coming back" - which might take away from all of that. The late Queen Elizabeth II famously held a Sandringham "summit" where it was said to have been agreed that the Sussexes could not have a semi-royal role after stepping back from frontline duties, and were either in or out.
Late last month, Royal commentator and the Daily Mail's Editor-at-Large, Allison Boshoff, said she was told by a friend of the Sussexes that the pair will not be engaging in commercial activities in Britain in the years ahead, making their money abroad instead. The suggestion is that this could help them stay on the right side of the agreements made with the late monarch, which were broadly to keep their sources of income and royal status separate, and not appear to be working on the Crown's behalf, reports suggest.
