Harry and Meghan Face Fresh Criticism Over Their Royal Status as Experts Question Their UK Return

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have faced fresh criticism from royal experts after King Charles reaffirmed that the couple should be treated as “private citizens” following their return to the UK.

The Sussexes are understood to have been surprised that the guidance was made public. Their position has also sparked debate over whether they now want a more prominent role in British public life, despite having previously spoken about their desire for greater privacy.

Royal author Angela Levin described the couple’s position as contradictory, arguing that their 2020 agreement to step down as working royals set clear boundaries around how they could use their royal status.

“Well, they agreed to something in 2020 when they left and had to sign an agreement about what they would be doing so they wouldn’t use their royal status for commercial gain,” Levin said.

She suggested that Harry and Meghan had struggled with the restrictions attached to leaving the working royal role.

“But they couldn’t bear to have someone telling them what to do, saying, ‘You can’t do this, but you can do that,’” she said.

Levin also claimed that the couple were unhappy about not being able to occupy a “half-in, half-out” position within the Royal Family.

Questions Over Their Return to Britain

Royal expert Hugo Vickers said the Sussexes’ return to the UK and their renewed involvement in public-facing activities appeared to contradict the position they had taken after leaving royal duties.

The couple stepped down as working royals in 2020 and subsequently moved to the United States, where they repeatedly discussed their wish for privacy and greater freedom from royal scrutiny.

Since then, however, Harry and Meghan have remained highly visible through interviews, television projects, public appearances and other ventures.

Vickers argued that their connection to the British Royal Family remains important to their public profile.

“They need to be associated with the British royal family to secure their commercial deals; otherwise, we wouldn’t be talking about them,” he said.

He added that if the couple wanted to participate in British public life again, they would have to accept the terms agreed at the 2020 Sandringham meeting.

A History of Public and Private Battles

The debate comes after years of disagreements between the Sussexes and the Royal Family over privacy, security and their place within royal life.

Following their departure, Harry and Meghan gave a highly publicised interview with Oprah Winfrey, released a Netflix series, published Harry’s memoir and took part in numerous interviews and public appearances.

Harry has also continued his legal and public campaign over security arrangements in the UK, while the couple have maintained that they should be able to live and work on their own terms.

Despite that, their return to Britain is expected to bring them into greater contact with public life. The couple are understood to be planning more charity work and public engagements.

Experts Question Their Position

Levin argued that the Sussexes’ recent stance was inconsistent with their previous calls for privacy.

She also criticised Meghan’s use of the term “public figure,” claiming that the Duchess wanted to establish a particularly prominent position for herself.

Vickers, meanwhile, suggested that the couple may want to be “more in than out” of royal life.

“By coming back to England, they naturally reinforce their identity as members of the royal family, whether working or not,” he said.

“If you want to be a private citizen, be a private citizen. If you want to be a public figure, you have to take the rough with the smooth.”

Levin agreed that King Charles was right to establish a clear boundary between the working Royal Family and the Sussexes.

“The King was quite right to set the boundary,” she said, arguing that the wider Royal Family should not have its work undermined by conflicting roles.

The Sussexes’ spokesman previously said the couple were “a little surprised” that the guidance had been published without them being informed beforehand.

Their latest dispute therefore appears to centre less on whether Harry and Meghan are working royals and more on how they should be viewed as they resume a more visible presence in the UK.

As the couple settle into their new life in Britain, their future role — and the boundaries between their royal connections and their status as private citizens — remains a subject of intense scrutiny.