london —
King Charles III said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to be non-working royals and will not carry out any official duties on behalf of the monarch after returning to Britain after a six-year stay in the United States.
In a letter sent on behalf of the King on Monday, Lord Chamberlain, the most senior member of the Royal Family, said: “It is well known that the Duke and Duchess stepped down as representatives on behalf of the King in January 2020 and are no longer members of the Royal Family.”
This position “will continue to be fully respected,” senior palace officials said in a letter to the British government, military leaders and the duke’s team. He added: “There is no change to the current situation for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
According to CNN, the letter was issued to reaffirm the Sussexes’ position following several requests for clarity as the royal family begins a new diary period.
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan left the UK for North America in 2020 after stepping away from royal life, but the years since have seen the public fall out with the entire royal family.
Despite their checkered family history, the couple returned home late last month with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who started school in the UK.
The letter said that all of Prince Harry and Meghan’s charity work “is personal to them and is carried out in their personal capacity.”
“In short, their position is similar to that of private citizens carrying out commercial and philanthropic activities,” the newspaper said.
It added that all correspondence and administrative questions regarding the couple should be directed to the office, which “continues to operate independently of the Royal Family.”
CNN has reached out to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
