Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly “surprised” by an unprecedented letter from King Charles making it clear that the couple will be regarded as “private citizens rather than working members of the Royal Family”.
The Sussexes spokesperson adopted a notably confrontational tone in a statement to the media, claiming that Harry and Meghan were not informed about the letter before it was made public.
However, Palace sources have strongly disputed that account, telling the Daily Mail that the couple’s team received the letter before its publication.
While Harry and Meghan were reportedly not consulted about its contents, the Palace maintains that they were made aware of the document.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who returned to Britain around two weeks ago, are also said to be concerned about the timing of the announcement.
Their concerns reportedly centre on whether it could be connected to an important meeting about their security arrangements.
Harry and Meghan continue to seek round-the-clock armed police protection while in the UK with their children, Archie and Lilibet, citing concerns over their safety, including during school journeys.
The Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), the Home Office body responsible for decisions regarding royal security, is reportedly expected to meet as early as today to consider the Sussexes’ security arrangements.
The King’s announcement came just before that anticipated meeting and made clear that Harry and Meghan have no role within the working Royal Family.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes said the couple had been caught off guard, stating: “We were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance.”
Palace sources, however, rejected any suggestion that the letter was connected to the security dispute or the Ravec meeting.
They said the letter was shared with Harry’s team before being released publicly as part of an effort to maintain “transparency.”
