King Charles delivered a humiliating public slapdown to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle yesterday after the couple's surprise return to Britain, making it crystal clear they remain firmly out of the Royal Family.
Buckingham Palace issued a stinging letter on Monday spelling out that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no official role, no working duties and no hope of a half-in, half-out arrangement.
"It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of The Sovereign, and are no longer working Members of The Royal Family," read the letter sent by the Lord Chamberlain, the royal household's top official. "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."
Buckingham Palace stressed that simply pitching up on British soil does not restore their royal standing.
"It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," the letter added. "Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used. 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."
A spokesman for Harry and Meghan responded to the letter with a terse statement, claiming that the pair had been blindsided.
"We were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance. The publication of the letter had caught the couple off guard," their statement reads.
However, Palace officials only told them of the King's position an hour before the letter was published, according to GB News.
Meanwhile, some royal watchers said that no one should be remotely shocked by the king's actions.
While Harry and Meghan are returning, they are not regaining official royal roles," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News. "Nor was there any agreement to a 'half-in, half-out' construct. They have been thwarted by trying to do what they agreed to with Queen Elizabeth II."