Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially back in the UK, but anyone expecting a royal comeback might want to lower those expectations. King Charles has now made his stance crystal clear.
And despite the Sussexes returning with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, their old royal jobs are not coming back with them.
King Charles Makes Harry And Meghan’s Royal Status Very Clear
King Charles has confirmed that Harry and Meghan will not return as working royals or carry out official engagements for the monarchy. According to the BBC, the Lord Chamberlain sent a letter on behalf of the 77-year-old monarch spelling out exactly where the couple stands after moving back to England.
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The rules are basically staying exactly where Harry and Meghan left them in 2020. Harry and Meghan cannot use their HRH titles of His and Her Royal Highness in their working lives. A senior Palace official also described the Sussexes as “private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
“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,” the letter reportedly stated.
A ‘Half-In And Half-Out’ Comeback Is Still A Hard No
Harry and Meghan also cannot have the royal setup they once hoped for. The letter reportedly rules out a “half-in and half-out” arrangement, meaning the Sussexes cannot represent the monarchy while also running their independent businesses. So, yes, they can live in Britain again, but that does not come with a royal job upgrade.
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The Palace also drew a clear line around their charitable projects. The letter added, “The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity.” Palace sources told the BBC that officials sent the message to Harry’s team, as well as the UK government, the military, and the Lord Lieutenants.
The clarification comes after Harry and Meghan returned to England last month with Archie and Lilibet for an “extended period.” The family reportedly flew privately from California before landing at Birmingham Airport around lunchtime on August 26. Their move brings them back to the country they left six years ago after stepping down as working royals. Their return reportedly has a deeply personal reason.
But this is not a return to full-time royal life. Harry and Meghan reportedly plan to “continue with their business enterprises” while living in a “non-royal residence.” They are searching for a home, potentially in the Cotswolds near Charles and Camilla’s Highgrove House. So, while the Sussexes may now be much closer to the royals geographically, Charles’ message makes one thing pretty obvious: their working-royal era is still very much over.
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