Allies of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have responded firmly to King Charles’s newly issued guidance that characterised the couple’s position as “akin to private citizens.”
Those in the Sussexes’ circle maintain that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain recognisable public figures whose circumstances make an ordinary private existence impossible.
“They are public figures,” a source close to the couple told People. “Members of the public know who they are. The idea that they can live a normal, ‘private’ life is sadly not realistic.”
The couple’s allies also made a pointed observation: had Harry and Meghan truly been private individuals, there would have been no need for the Lord Chamberlain to issue formal guidance about their status at all.
Allies of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have responded firmly to King Charles’s newly issued guidance that characterised the couple’s position as ‘akin to private citizens’
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The guidance in question was delivered on September 7 through a letter from Lord Benyon, the Lord Chamberlain, which sought to clarify the Sussexes’ standing as non-working members of the Royal Family.
It stated that the couple’s position, including the freedom it afforded them regarding financial independence and privacy, would continue to be respected.
The letter also reiterated that Harry and Meghan should refrain from using their His and Her Royal Highness styles, and directed official bodies with queries about courtesies extended to the pair, particularly those involving public funds, to Buckingham Palace.
Palace insiders have stressed that the letter did not introduce new policy but rather restated terms originally agreed at the Sandringham Summit in January 2020.
This week, Prince Harry and Meghan pushed back against Buckingham Palace’s characterisation of them as ‘private citizens’
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GETTYThe couple were given notice of the letter’s contents roughly an hour before it reached the media, with a spokesman saying they were “a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance.”
The distinction between “private citizen” and “public figure” carries particular significance given Harry’s protracted battle over security arrangements for his family in the United Kingdom.
The Duke has long argued that their high public profile continues to expose them to security threats, despite having stepped back from official royal duties, and he has pursued a review of the protection afforded to them whilst on British soil.
The King’s letter itself appeared to acknowledge this tension, noting that “operational security issues” should continue to be referred to the relevant police authorities.
Harry and Meghan arrived at Birmingham Airport last month, confirming their decision to relocate permanently | PA
Those around Harry and Meghan have been careful to stress that describing the couple as public figures does not alter their non-working royal status; it simply reflects the unavoidable reality that they cannot move through public life unrecognised.
The fallout from the Lord Chamberlain’s letter extended beyond the family dispute. One day after the guidance was made public, Uganda withdrew from Prince Harry’s Invictus Games.
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who leads Uganda’s armed forces and is the son of President Yoweri Museveni, declared that his country would not take part in “anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval.”
A source close to Harry told People: “They made it very clear that the reason they pulled out was a direct result of perceived guidance from the Lord Chamberlain. This was an unintended or intended consequence of the letter – and that was always going to happen. Hence the wish not to rush it out.”
Uganda had only joined the Invictus community in July as its 26th member nation, with the aim of expanding sports recovery programmes for wounded service personnel.
“The only people suffering as a result are the competitors from Uganda who would have been taking part in next year’s Invictus Games,” the source added.
Despite reports suggesting a complete communication breakdown, GB News understands that King Charles and Harry have spoken by telephone since the Duke’s return to the United Kingdom last month. The pair have not, however, met face to face since the Sussexes arrived back in Britain.
The King encourages all organisations and endeavours that support wounded service personnel, it is understood.