King Charles’s statement regarding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal status at the start of this week left the couple “surprised“, according to their spokesperson.
But how does it relate to the monarch’s eldest son, Prince William?
HELLO!’s royal editor Emily Nash analyses the remarkable letter, which confirmed the couple as “private citizens” and emphasised there was “no change” in their status as non-working royals, on the latest episode of A Right Royal Podcast, which lands on Friday.
Emily says it’s likely that Charles discussed the letter with William before it went out, and explains how it proved the King’s ultimate loyalty to his heir.
She says: “I think it’s hard to imagine a world in which Prince William and his father did not discuss the statement before it went out.”
“Because he’s the heir, it’s relevant to the rest of his reign as well. I think it does show loyalty to William and the fact that William and Catherine, and other members, senior working royals, are going all over the country doing their duties.”
“They’ve got all the responsibility. There’s no going off and signing a deal with Netflix. There’s no writing a memoir for $100 million. This is all about duty and responsibility to the country, and I think it’s important to make that clear.”
King Charles’s letter about Harry and Meghan explained
On Monday, a letter from the Royal Household’s most senior officer, the Lord Chamberlain, was made public, written on behalf of the King.
Addressing senior stakeholders within the government and the military, it formally reiterated that Harry and Meghan would be treated as “private citizens” in the UK. It was shared with their team around an hour before it was made public.
A spokesman for Harry and Meghan said afterwards: “We were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance.”
The wording of the letter emphasised the position agreed in 2020 from the so-called Sandringham Summit – that the Sussexes couldn’t be half-in, half-out royals.”
“Let’s remember this is what the Sussexes said they wanted six years ago,” Emily says. “The late Queen was absolutely adamant they couldn’t be half in and half out.”
“So I do think that it was important to clarify this, because otherwise it looks like they’re taking back being royal adjacent by stealth.”
Prince William and Harry’s relationship now
Prince William and Catherine have not publicly reacted to Harry and Meghan’s return to the UK.
However, royal author Robert Jobson told HELLO! when the move was announced that the Prince of Wales must be “feeling slightly aghast” by it.
He said: “I feel that William must be slightly aghast by the whole thing. The prodigal son coming back will be difficult for him. Harry’s move puts pressure on him to act in a more pragmatic way.”
The once-close brothers are not believed to be in contact and were last in the same room together in 2024 at their uncle Lord Fellowes’s funeral. However, they reportedly kept their distance.
On Thursday, the Waleses marked their official return to work after the summer holidays with a joint engagement to the Hill Dickson Stadium in Liverpool for the launch of Prince William’s suicide prevention toolkit.
