King clarifies Harry and Meghan remain private citizens after return
King Charles has publicly clarified that Harry and Meghan remain private citizens and non-working royals after their return to the UK, while Donald Trump criticised their treatment of the royal family.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have returned to the UK after six years in California, prompting a public clarification from Buckingham Palace about their status and fresh criticism from Donald Trump.
In an interview in the Oval Office, President Trump said he was not a fan of the couple and accused them of disrespecting the royal family. He said he had a good relationship with the late Queen and with King Charles, but added: "I thought they treated the royal family with great disrespect. I didn't like it. I didn't like the way she acted. I thought she was terribly disrespectful to the Queen, to King Charles. And I don't know, maybe I'm different. I wouldn't have taken him back."
Buckingham Palace then took the unusual step of releasing a letter written by the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, on behalf of the King. The letter states that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used. Their charitable work is described as a personal matter undertaken in a private capacity. The letter also says that any activities involving public funds should be directed to Buckingham Palace, and that security provision remains a matter for the relevant police authority.
The letter was sent to government departments, the military, and Lord Lieutenants who represent the King across the UK. It is seen as a pointed reminder that Harry and Meghan cannot be half in, half out of the royal family, a position the late Queen had also expressed. Royal commentators noted that the phrase "private citizens" is likely to frustrate Harry, who has been seeking state-funded security while in the UK.
The clarification comes as Harry was pictured for the first time since returning, visiting a TV and podcast studio in London. There is also speculation that Meghan could return to acting, with rumours linking her to a role in Netflix's The Gentleman. The couple's children, Archie and Lilibet, are reportedly starting school in the Cotswolds.
The security question remains unresolved. A former Metropolitan Police royal protection officer said decisions should be based purely on threat and risk, not on whether someone is a working royal. He noted that former prime ministers and the Queen Mother received protection in retirement, and argued that Harry's position as fifth in line to the throne should be considered.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The letter states there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. | · | |||||
| Donald Trump said he would not have taken Prince Harry back into the Royal Family. | · | · | · | |||
| The letter says security provision for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remains a matter for the relevant police authority. | · | · | · | |||
| Buckingham Palace publicly released the letter. | · | · | · | · | ||
| Prince Harry was photographed in Britain for the first time since his return, at Tower Bridge Studios. | · | · | · | · | ||
| The King wrote a letter to government and military organizations clarifying the status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. | · | · | · | · | ||
| Trump accused Prince Harry and Meghan of treating the Royal Family with disrespect. | · | · | · | · | ||
| Harry is currently protected by a private security firm. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Prince Harry and Meghan returned to the UK after six years in California. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Ravec and the Risk Management Board are responsible for assessing threats to principals. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Security decisions should be based on threat and risk, not on working status. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| The Sussexes' children were reportedly starting school in the Cotswolds. | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News covered both Trump's criticism and the King's letter, leading with Trump's comments in the first segment and then reporting the palace clarification in a later bulletin. The tone was straightforward, presenting the facts without much analysis.
- “I was not a fan. I thought, look, I had a very good relationship with the Queen. Really good, I got to know her very well. A really good relationship with King Charles. I knew him as Prince Charles and King Charles. I've known him for a long time. He's great, great guy. And I thought they treated the royal family with great disrespect.”
- “there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their stars as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used.”
5 News focused on Trump's comments and the speculation about Meghan's acting career, including red carpet interviews. The tone was lighter, mixing royal news with entertainment gossip.
- “I'm happy about it. No, I was not a fan.”
- “I wouldn't have taken him back, right? If I were the royal family, I would not have taken him back.”
GB News covered both Trump's comments and the King's letter, with a strong editorial tone. The first segment featured a guest discussing Trump's remarks, while the second segment highlighted the palace's decision and front pages. The channel framed the story as the King putting Harry and Meghan in their place.
- “I would not have taken him back. Too much hate, too many really bad things said. He wrote a book that was so bad. And she was a horrible influence on him.”
- “King Charles has decided the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to be treated as private citizens while in Britain and do not represent the royal family.”
BBC ONE West focused on the King's letter, describing it as 'punchy' and 'direct'. The coverage emphasised the palace's assertion of Harry and Meghan's non-working status and the letter's distribution to official bodies.
- “It is punchy Tina and it is direct from the royal household”
- “The letter has been sent to a number of public bodies and organisations including government departments and the military and it is the royal household Asserting its position on Harry and Meghan which is that they will not be doing any kind of official royal duties.”
ITV1 provided detailed analysis of the King's letter, focusing on its implications for Harry's security battle. The coverage highlighted the phrase 'private citizens' and suggested it would infuriate Harry.
- “That phrase, private citizens, will infuriate Harry because he is trying to get his security sorted to get full protection while he's in this country on the basis that he's not a private citizen.”
- “their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
BBC NEWS focused on the security implications of the King's letter, featuring an interview with a former royal protection officer. The discussion centred on how protection decisions should be made based on threat and risk, not royal status.
- “I think irrespective of personality and what the public or other people might think that this protection decision should only ever be decided on threat and risk.”
- “It should be based purely on threat and risk and not on anything else.”
Broadcast Timeline
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