King Charles III issued a pointed letter labeling Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “private citizens” as the couple resettles in Britain, and the Sussexes are pushing back against the designation.
The monarch, 76, released the public notice last Monday without consulting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, according to multiple reports. Harry, 41, and Markle, 45, had landed in the UK on August 26 for what reports said would be an “extended period,” one week after news broke that they were moving back to England.
A source familiar with the king’s thinking said Friday that Charles wrote the letter to eliminate any ambiguity about where the couple stands. “Charles wrote a letter to clarify they are not working royals and they are considered private citizens so there is no confusion,” the insider said.
“The king just wanted the public and press not to be confused. They can’t be one foot in and one foot out.”
The same source claimed the letter reinforced the terms of the couple’s 2020 exit agreement. “Per an agreement when they left working royal status, everything they wanted to do that was public-facing with certain patronages was to be approved by the palace so they would not be confused as official working royals,” the source said. “With them moving back to the UK, it’s been confusing.”
Harry and Markle, however, do not see themselves as ordinary civilians. A source close to the couple said Thursday that the “private citizens” label misses the reality of their global profile. “They are public figures,” the source said. “Members of the public know who they are. The idea that they can live a normal, ‘private’ life is sadly not realistic.”
Other insiders aligned with the Sussexes noted a contradiction in the palace’s position: if the pair were truly private individuals, the Lord Chamberlain would not have needed to issue formal guidance to the media about their status.
Royal sources said Wednesday that Charles and his staff had initially wanted to alert Harry and Meghan before the letter went public and were prepared to “clarify one or two points.” After roughly an hour without a response from Harry’s team, they distributed it to the media anyway.
The Telegraph also reported that Harry and Meghan were “frustrated” with what they viewed as the letter’s “deliberate” timing. They believe it was designed to influence the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, which was preparing to discuss whether the family of four should receive police protection during their UK stay. Palace sources strongly rejected that claim to the outlet.
Harry made his first public appearance since returning at Tower Bridge Studios in London on Monday. Markle was seen having tea with what appeared to be another mother at Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds last Friday, as the couple reportedly continues house hunting in the affluent area.
The Sussexes stepped back from senior royal duties in early 2020 and relocated to Montecito, California, where they launched Archewell Productions, signed lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify, and gave high-profile interviews about their experiences within the institution. Their return to Britain marks their most sustained presence in the country since that departure.
The couple’s two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are with them for the relocation, adding urgency to the unresolved security question that has dogged Harry since he lost his automatic police protection.
Harry is scheduled to appear at the WellChild Awards in London on September 8.