LONDON — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, were caught off guard when Buckingham Palace released a letter reaffirming that they remain nonworking members of the royal family despite their return to the United Kingdom, a person familiar with the discussions said.
The letter, issued Monday on behalf of King Charles III to senior government and military officials, stated that Harry and Meghan would continue to refrain from using the formal royal titles “His Royal Highness” and “Her Royal Highness,” which they stopped using after leaving their official roles in 2020.
The couple’s representatives received a copy of the letter just one hour and 12 minutes before its release to news organizations, the source said.
Harry was in a meeting at the time, and his representatives could not reach him until two minutes before the palace released the letter, leaving the couple little time to review or respond to its contents.
Palace seeks to avoid confusion
The Lord Chamberlain, the senior official in the royal household, said King Charles directed the palace to share the information “to help avoid doubt or confusion.”
The letter also said any charitable activities Harry and Meghan undertake will remain private and that operational security decisions will rest with the relevant police authorities.
Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to North America, where they pursued commercial opportunities, including deals with Netflix and Spotify.
Queen Elizabeth II said at the time that the couple could not serve as part-time royals while pursuing commercial arrangements. They therefore gave up their official royal roles.
Charles reiterated the position after becoming king in 2022.
The latest letter reinforces the couple’s status as nonworking members of the royal family as they continue their activities in the United Kingdom.