King Charles has issued formal guidance on the status of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, following their return to the United Kingdom. The guidance marks the king’s first statement since the couple abruptly moved across the pond last month.
A letter sent Monday on the monarch’s behalf by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Benyon, was circulated to government departments, the military, Lord Lieutenants and the Sussexes’ office. Palace sources said the communication was intended to address requests for clarification and to avoid confusion after the couple relocated from California.
The letter states that there is no change to the position established in January 2020, when Harry and Meghan stepped down from representative duties on behalf of the Sovereign and ceased to be working members of the Royal Family. That arrangement, often referred to as the Sandringham agreement, remains in force.
Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness stay in abeyance and are not to be used, while the couple was further described as private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.
Their charitable work is characterized as a personal matter undertaken in a private capacity. The letter notes that this arrangement provides them with financial independence and privacy, and that those terms will continue to be respected.
It also rules out a “half-in and half-out” arrangement that would allow official royal work alongside independent commercial activities.
Any questions from official or state organizations about courtesies, particularly those that might involve public funds, were directed to Buckingham Palace. Operational security matters should be referred to the relevant police authorities. Correspondence and administrative questions are to go to the Sussexes’ own office, which operates separately from the Royal Household, the guidance added.
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King Charles makes clear that Harry and Meghan are private citizens, not working royals, in letter sent on his behalf https://t.co/xKxUZyv4WJ
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) September 7, 2026
Harry, Meghan and their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, arrived in England in late August for an extended stay. According to a report from the Telegraph, they landed at Birmingham Airport on August 26 after a private flight from California. The children were soon enrolled in a private school.
The family plans to live in a private, non-royal residence rather than a palace property. They are expected to retain their home in Montecito, California, and a property in Portugal while establishing a base in Britain, with some reports mentioning possible locations in the Cotswolds near Highgrove.
King Charles was informed of the relocation plans after a private family gathering at Highgrove House in July. That meeting, which also included Queen Camilla, was the first time the King had seen Archie and Lilibet in four years.
Palace sources have said the King welcomes the opportunity to spend more time with the family in a private capacity. No public statement has been issued by Harry or Meghan in response to the letter.
The 2020 departure followed the couple’s decision to step back from official duties and move to the United States. In the years since, they pursued media projects, including a Netflix series and Harry’s memoir Spare, while living as private individuals.
