LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - King Charles authorised a letter to senior British officials on Monday confirming that his youngest son Harry and Harry's wife Meghan remain non-working royals following their return to the UK.
The letter, which was shared with Harry's team and sent as guidance to senior officials in the government and military, said that after Harry and Meghan stepped down from official royal duties in 2020 they "are no longer working Members of The Royal Family".
"This position, distinct from the State and Royal duties undertaken by the working Royal Family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected," the letter added.
"It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. ... The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity.
"In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests."
Prince Harry and his family arrived back in Britain late last month, six years after quitting royal duties and moving to the United States.
The couple had left for the U.S. in 2020, stepping down from official royal duties to chart independent careers, but they never left the headlines as Harry accused the royals of neglect, the tabloid press of ruining his life and the government of failing to provide enough security for him to ever return home.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin and William James; Editing by Alison Williams and Toby Chopra)
