Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will not be considered working members of the British royal family, ending speculation over their status after the couple returned to the UK with their two children.
The decision was confirmed in a letter issued on Monday, 7 September, by the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, on behalf of King Charles III.
The letter said several requests for clarification had been made regarding Harry and Meghan’s status following their return to the UK.
It was issued to ensure there was no “doubt or confusion” over their position within the royal family.
Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal duties in January 2020.
As a result, they are no longer entitled to officially use the HRH, or His/Her Royal Highness, style in their capacity as working royals.
The couple had announced their decision to step back as senior members of the royal family in 2020, without prior consultation with Queen Elizabeth II or then-Prince Charles.
The move prompted the Queen to call a family meeting to resolve the situation.
It was subsequently decided that Harry and Meghan would no longer represent the royal family and would not receive public funding associated with their royal duties.
The couple later left the UK and moved to California in the United States, where they began a more independent life away from the royal household.
Their decision to step back from royal duties and relocate to the US became widely known as “Megxit”.
Six years later, Harry and Meghan returned to the UK in August with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Their return had prompted renewed speculation about whether they could regain any formal role within the royal family.
The latest letter from the royal household, however, makes clear that they will not be reinstated as working royals.
