Harry and Meghan’s response to King’s ‘royal slapdown’ alerts ‘additional dangerous blood’
Those in the know say the new “clarification” from King Charles is a “royal slapdown” and likely to cause offence to Harry and Meghan, just weeks after they returned to UK shores.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are back in the UK (Image: Getty)
The formal reiteration that Harry and Meghan will be treated as “private citizens” is “the king of all putdowns”, royal experts claim. Insiders say the “royal slapdown” is likely to cause offence to Harry and Meghan, just weeks after they returned to UK shores.
They say King Charles pointing out the pair’s royal status points to “possible new tensions” between them and the senior members of the Royal Family.
Commentator Jennie Bond said the letter issued by a top palace official yesterday felt like a “royal slapdown” and said she thinks as well as a public statement, it was also a warning to the pair as they start their new life in the UK.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said the letter is likely to cause offence(Image: WireImage)
She said: “It also very pointedly in the letter… emphasised you’re not to use your Her Royal Highness or His Royal Highness, the HRH, you know, not even in a sneaky little Instagram post.
“All in all, I thought the letter was pretty ‘ouch’ from [Harry’s] dad, formally stating the position.”
Bond says she believes one reason behind making the letter public is that the King and Buckingham Palace “felt that they were being almost bounced into accepting the Sussexes’ return on Harry and Meghan’s conditions”.
The couple’s response that they were “surprised” by the letter “signals further bad blood”, she says.
The King wanted to clarify the Royal position (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
The letter by Lord Benyon clarified that the King wanted guidance on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s royal status to be issued “to help avoid doubt or confusion”.
It states: “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.
“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.”
It goes on to confirm that the couple would not use their HRH titles and that their charitable work is “a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity”.
The pair have moved here with their children(Image: Getty)
“In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests,” Benyon writes.
But the pair were said to be “surprised” by the public outing.
A source said the Sussexes have not asked to use their HRH titles, adding that they found the timing of the letter “troubling”.
This is because the Home Office Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (known as RAVEC), which is responsible for decisions about taxpayer-funded security for VIPs, meeting today (Wednesday) to discuss the family in the UK, after their move from the US.
Harry and Meghan have previously voiced their concerns about their security in the UK since stepping down as working royals.
