September 8, 2026 | 09:24 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will remain private citizens rather than returning as working members of the British royal family as they spend an extended period in the United Kingdom (UK) with their two children.
A letter released Monday by the head of the Royal Household and sent under the direction of King Charles III reiterated that Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will continue to have the status of private citizens while living in the UK, according to ABC News.
The letter was sent by the Lord Chamberlain to Harry's team and senior stakeholders across the UK government and military. It said the couple would retain their "financial independence" and privacy.
"It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," the letter said. "Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used."
The letter also stated that the couple's charitable activities would remain personal matters undertaken in their private capacity. Their position, it said, was "akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests."
The statement marks the first public comment from King Charles and the palace on Harry and Meghan's return to the UK, six years after the couple stepped down from their senior royal roles and moved to California.
When Harry and Meghan stepped away from their senior royal duties in 2020, they agreed to stop using their Royal Highness titles, cease representing the monarch and no longer receive public funds for royal duties. The arrangement allowed them to pursue private income.
The couple also no longer receive the same automatic taxpayer-funded armed police protection provided to senior members of the royal family, including King Charles and Prince William. Since moving to California, Harry and Meghan have relied on a privately funded security team.
Harry and Meghan have not publicly commented on the palace's latest statement or their return to the UK.
The couple and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, reportedly arrived in the UK on Aug. 26. A source familiar with the matter said the family planned to remain in the country for an "extended period of time," with the children expected to attend school there.
Their exact UK residence and the schools attended by Archie and Lilibet have not been publicly disclosed.
Harry made his first public appearance since returning to the UK on Tuesday. Tower Bridge Studios, a podcast and film studio in London, posted a photo of Harry on social media and thanked him for visiting its facilities.
Harry and Meghan's Life Outside the Royal Family
Since moving to California and stepping away from their royal roles, Harry and Meghan have pursued a range of commercial projects, including speaking engagements and a production deal with Netflix.
Their work with the streaming company has included the 2022 documentary series Harry & Meghan and Meghan's lifestyle series With Love, Meghan.
Despite their return to the UK, the latest statement from the Royal Household makes clear that the couple's official position remains unchanged: they are private citizens and will not resume their former roles as working royals.
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