They’re not happy with being referred to as ‘public citizens’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to the UK has caused quite a stir, particularly for King Charles. But the royal couple are not taking His Majesty’s “slap down” lightly.
It has been confirmed that both Harry and Meghan haven’t returned from across the pond as working royals. The news came courtesy of King Charles via a ‘guidance’ letter issued by Buckingham Palace on his behalf on Monday, September 7.
It appears that the Sussexes were caught off-guard, according to their representation and they were quick to hit back. Their spokesperson issued a statement claiming: “We were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance”.
Despite this supposed shock, Buckingham Palace sources gave a swift rebuttal. They quickly claimed that “incorrect” Harry and Meghan had indeed gotten the letter before it was made public and sent to Government officials. It is understood that they were told an hour before and weren’t consulted on its content, reports the Mirror.
But that’s not the end, with the ordeal taking another dramatic development. A briefing published via the Telegraph on Tuesday, September 8, stated that Harry took umbrage with being treated as non-royals.
It read: “The Duke is understood to have taken particular issue with the notion that the couple were to be treated as private citizens.
“If that were the case, it was claimed, such formal guidance would not be required. The Sussexes prefer the term ‘public figures’, and would have liked an acknowledgement that, on a personal level, they remained members of the Royal Family, despite no longer receiving public funding.”
The war of words is painfully reminiscent of public briefing battles that became the cornerstone of their 2020 departure. But in the years since their self-exile to the US, the Sussexes have seemingly made it their mission to cling onto their royal status and honorifics on numerous occasions.
Critics suggest that their desire to be recognised as royals after spending years complaining about the very institution that awarded them with such accolades is glaringly hypocritical. But the couple argue that it is their hereditary right.
Viral Duchess drama
When Meghan graced the glossy cover of Harper’s Bazaar last December, one detail from her in-depth interview went viral – the way she was announced when walking into a room.
The magazine writer visited a luxury New York home of one of Meghan’s friends to conduct their interview and noted: “The house manager announces, ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,’ even though we appear to be the only other two people in the house.”
While the formality of being introduced by her full title in a relatively casual setting does not break royal protocol, it raised eyebrows given Meghan has previously insisted in her bombshell Oprah interview that the ‘grandeur’ of titles did not matter to her.
Staff ‘demand’
A close colleague of Harry once revealed how Meghan asked to be referred to during a meeting. Scott Moore was appointed chief executive of the Duke’s Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 and met Meghan a year before during a “One Year To Go” event.
“I did make sure to ask how I should be addressing them when they get here,” he explained, according to the Daily Mail. He was told that simply: “Ma’am’ is fine.” Meanwhile, he was told “Sir” was the suitable way to address Harry.
Traditionally, male members of the Royal Family are first addressed as ‘Your Royal Highness’, followed by ‘Sir’, while female members are referred to as ‘Your Royal Highness’, and then ‘Ma’am’.
However, following Harry and Meghan’s decision to quit life as senior working royals in 2020, they were stripped of their HRH titles. This means they can no longer be addressed as Your Royal Highness, though they retain their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles.
Archie and Lilibet ‘U-turn’
In a sensational sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey back in 2021, Meghan suggested that her son Archie was denied his birthright title of prince by the Palace and that the decision was at odds with royal protocol.
Telling the talkshow host that “it’s not their right to take away,” the Duchess seemed upset over the “idea of the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be”.
When asked by Winfrey “Do you think it’s because of his race?”, Meghan said: “In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, so we [had] the conversation of he won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title.” She also claimed that there were “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born”.
After days of crisis talks, and William telling a reporter that the “we are very much not a racist family”, the then-Queen issued a statement in response to the allegations. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”
Royal protocol set out by King George V dictates that the children and grandchildren of a sovereign have automatic rights to the title HRH and prince or princess. But when Archie was born in 2019, he was the great-grandchild of a sovereign, not a grandchild. This meant that Archie only became entitled to the prince title when Charles took the throne. A royal source said at the time that “the Palace says it’s nothing to do with race”.
