Burak Bir
09 September 2026•Update: 09 September 2026
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were "surprised" by a new letter from King Charles, clarifying their status as non-working members of the Royal Family, according to media reports on Tuesday.
The Sussexes "were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance," a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was quoted by the BBC as saying.
However, royal sources said Prince Harry and Meghan were made aware of the letter, sent on Monday afternoon, before it was made public, according to the report.
On Monday, lhe letter sent on behalf of King Charles by the lord chamberlain, a top palace official cleared that the duke and duchess of Sussex will still not be able to use titles of "His and Her Royal Highness" and will remain "private citizens."
The letter has been sent to Prince Harry's team, government departments, military officials, and lord lieutenants, who are the monarch's local representatives, and government staff often involved in royal visits and engagements, according to palace sources.
It comes after the duke and duchess – born Meghan Markle – returned to the UK with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, on Aug. 26 six years after stepping away from their roles as senior working members of Britain’s royal family and starting a new life in California.
The message highlighted that the position agreed in 2020 when the Sussexes left the UK, the so-called Sandringham Agreement, is still in place.
This ruled out any "half-in and half-out" status, so the couple could not continue their own commercial interests while remaining to be working royals.
"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," said the letter.
It added: "The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity."
