Prince Harry and Meghan say they were 'a little surprised' to receive no advance notice of King Charles's letter confirming their non-working royal status. The letter, issued by the Lord Chamberlain on the King's orders, arrived in their office at 13:59 on 7 September, 67 minutes before its public release. Sussex aides claim they did not reach Harry until 15:09, minutes after the announcement.
In court, the Home Office said the couple's changed royal status meant they no longer received the same publicly funded protective security. A new review is under way. The Telegraph reported that sources close to the Sussexes feared a link to the letter, but palace sources denied it.
On 9 September, Uganda withdrew from Harry's Invictus Games for wounded troops, citing the King's letter, but rejoined on 14 September after a call, reported by its army, with the King's principal private secretary.
What the Lord Chamberlain Wrote
Lord Benyon, the Lord Chamberlain and head of the Royal Household, wrote the letter under the King's instruction. It cited several requests for guidance after the couple's return to Britain. Copies were circulated to government departments, the armed forces, and Lord Lieutenants, the monarch's county representatives. The letter stated that Harry and Meghan's position is 'akin to private citizens', with their His and Her Royal Highness styles unused.
Harry and Meghan announced in January 2020 that they would step back as senior working royals and later settled in California, under terms agreed at a Sandringham family meeting. Palace insiders told People the letter merely restates those arrangements. UK royal commentator Afua Hagan told Newsweek: 'It's not really telling us anything we don't already know.' Harry lost his police protection case at the Court of Appeal in May 2025, after two earlier defeats in the High Court.
How Monday Afternoon Unfolded
According to those close to the Sussexes, aides wrote back at 14:19 to ask if the letter had been released, hoping to warn the couple first. At 15:06 the press had it, while Harry sat in a meeting. At 15:11 the aides confirmed the letter had gone out. The BBC's Daniela Relph reported that their surprise was about the timing, not the content. Newsweek noted that Harry heard minutes before the release, leaving the timeline disputed.
'The king was never going to debate anything with the Sussexes,' Richard Fitzwilliams, a commentator on the Windsors, told Fox News Digital. He expects no change to their plans. Courtiers quoted by The Telegraph insist the letter holds nothing new and see no need to consult Harry and Meghan about its wording. Friends of the pair, speaking to People, described them as public figures rather than private citizens.
What Comes Next for the Sussexes
On 9 September, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's chief of defence forces and the president's son, pulled his country out of the Invictus Games. Kainerugaba wrote that his country would not join anything without His Majesty's approval. Uganda rejoined on 14 September after a call with the King's principal private secretary, according to its army. Birmingham is set to host the 2027 Games.
RAVEC, the Home Office's protective security committee, has ordered a new review for Harry now that he lives in Britain. His children, Archie and Lilibet, have started school, while Meghan faces her first review in six years. The committee had not ruled by 29 September.
