“The idea that they can live a normal, ‘private’ life is sadly not realistic,” a source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tells PEOPLE
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NEED TO KNOW
- Sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle say the couple remain “public figures” despite King Charles’ new guidance describing their position as “akin to private citizens”
- “The idea that they can live a normal, ‘private’ life is sadly not realistic,” a source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tells PEOPLE
- The distinction carries particular weight amid Prince Harry’s long-running concerns over his family’s security in Britain
Sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are pushing back on new guidance issued by King Charles this week describing the couple’s position as “akin to private citizens.”
While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no longer working members of the royal family and do not represent the monarch, those close to them point to the reality that they remain highly recognizable public figures — a distinction that also carries implications for their privacy and security, particularly following their return to Britain.
“They are public figures,” a source close to the couple tells PEOPLE. “Members of the public know who they are. The idea that they can live a normal, ‘private’ life is sadly not realistic.”
Those close to the couple also argue that if Harry and Meghan were simply private individuals, the Lord Chamberlain would not have needed to issue a letter in the first place.
On Sept. 7, King Charles issued a letter via the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Benyon, clarifying the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s status as non-working royals amid their recent return to the U.K.
The letter stated that Harry and Meghan are “no longer working Members of The Royal Family” and said their position, including the “personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish,” would continue to be respected.
“In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests,” the letter continued.
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The distinction is particularly significant given Harry’s long-running concerns over security in the U.K. The Duke has maintained that his family’s public profile leaves them facing security risks despite no longer being working royals, and he has been fighting for a review of the security arrangements that apply to him and his family while in Britain.
The King’s letter itself draws a distinction between the couple’s status and their security, stating that “operational security issues” should continue to be directed to the relevant police authorities.
Those close to Harry and Meghan similarly argue that describing the couple as public figures does not change their status as non-working royals. Rather, they say, it reflects the practical reality that Harry and Meghan remain internationally recognizable individuals whose ability to move through public life anonymously is limited.
The letter also reiterated that Prince Harry and Meghan should not use their His/Her Royal Highness (HRH) styles and said that questions from official and state organizations about courtesies extended to them — particularly where public funds may be involved — should be directed to Buckingham Palace. Palace insiders have pointed out that the letter does not represent a new policy, instead reiterating the terms agreed upon at the “Sandringham Summit” of January 2020.
The couple received notice and details about the King’s letter only about an hour before it was released to the media, PEOPLE understands, with a spokesman for the couple saying they were “a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance.”
Despite reports that Prince Harry and King Charles have not been in contact, a source tells PEOPLE that the father and son have spoken by phone since the Duke of Sussex returned to the U.K. last month. PEOPLE understands, however, that the pair have not met in person since the Sussex family’s return to Britain.
One day after the guidance was released, Uganda pulled out of Harry’s Invictus Games. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and head of the country’s armed forces, stated that his country would not participate in “anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval.”
A source close to Prince Harry tells 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.”
Amid the controversy, PEOPLE understands that King Charles encourages all organizations and endeavors that support wounded service personnel.
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Uganda had only recently joined the Invictus community, becoming its 26th and newest member in July 2026 — a move intended to expand sports recovery opportunities for wounded and injured service personnel in the country.
The source adds, “The only people suffering as a result are the competitors from Uganda who would have been taking part in next year’s Invictus Games.”
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