Harry And Meghan Reportedly Want To Be Known As “Public Figures” After King Charles Brands Them “Private Citizens”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly pushing for a very different description of their status in Britain after King Charles made clear that the couple remain private citizens and will not resume formal royal duties.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK in late August with their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, and are reportedly settling into life in Oxfordshire. Their arrival has now triggered a fresh debate over exactly how the couple should be described following their decision to step back as working royals in 2020.
A Palace letter sent to senior government and military officials on Monday, September 7, reiterated that Harry and Meghan would continue not to use the formal His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness styles, as has been the case since their departure from official royal life.
It also stated that charitable work carried out by the couple is undertaken in a “private capacity.”
Sussexes Reportedly Prefer “Public Figures”
According to reports from multiple UK outlets, however, Harry and Meghan would rather be described as “public figures.”
A briefing note from the couple reportedly argued that the term would recognise that, personally, they remain members of the Royal Family while no longer receiving public funding.
That distinction is significant because the Sussexes have continued to maintain high-profile charitable and public interests since moving away from Britain, despite no longer carrying out official royal duties.
The reported preference also comes as the couple adjust to a very different chapter of their lives in the UK.
Harry And Meghan “Surprised” By Palace Letter
The Palace announcement is said to have caught the Sussexes off guard.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said they were “a little surprised not to have been told about” the letter in advance.
Reports have since claimed that members of their team were given only around an hour to digest the document before it became public, while Harry allegedly had just two minutes to read it because he was in a meeting in London and could not be reached sooner.
Those claims contrast with the Palace position reported elsewhere that the Sussexes’ team had received the letter before its publication.
Either way, the timing has added another layer of tension to Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain, particularly because the letter was sent directly to senior officials who may need to understand precisely how the couple should be treated.
Meghan’s Quiet Return To Oxfordshire
While the debate over titles has played out publicly, Meghan has remained largely out of sight since the family returned to Britain.
She has reportedly been spotted at Soho Farmhouse, the exclusive private members’ club in Oxfordshire, which is popular with high-profile figures including David and Victoria Beckham and Paul McCartney.
The reported visit came as the Sussexes are said to settle into their new surroundings, with Archie and Lilibet reportedly enrolled in local schools.
For Harry and Meghan, the move represents a return to Britain under circumstances very different from those they left behind.
They may once again be living in the UK, but the Palace letter has drawn a firm distinction between being members of the Royal Family personally and carrying out royal duties officially.
And with the Sussexes reportedly preferring the label “public figures,” the question of how Harry and Meghan fit into the royal landscape appears far from settled.