Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'given two-minute warning' amid King Charles' shock letter

Olivia Beeson, Charl Wright Wed, September 9, 2026 at 10:01 AM UTC

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's spokesperson also addressed the letter (Image: Chris Jackson, Getty Images)

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, had just two minutes to absorb the correspondence from King Charles before his "surprise" announcement, sources have claimed.

Buckingham Palace issued a letter clarifying that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain non-working members of the Royal Family despite their return to the UK.

A copy of the correspondence reached the couple's representatives only one hour and 12 minutes before it was distributed to news organizations, a source told AP. At that moment, Harry was engaged in a meeting and consequently had minimal time to react, learning of the letter merely two minutes before its publication. This comes as the real reason behind the letter has been revealed.

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A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex indicated the couple was caught off guard by the letter, reports the Express.

They noted that Harry and Meghan "were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance."

King Charles confirmed the Sussexes' roles (Image: Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images)

The correspondence was dispatched on behalf of King Charles III to senior government and military officials and distributed to the media on Monday.

It confirmed that Harry and Meghan would continue to abstain from using the formal royal titles, such as His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness, as they have done since withdrawing from official royal duties in 2020.

It then went on to specify that any charitable work undertaken by the couple will be conducted in a private capacity.

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The letter also noted that security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies. The Lord Chamberlain, the highest-ranking official within the royal household, stated in the correspondence, "To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that (this) information be shared."

The clarification follows the couple's relocation from the US to the UK six years after relinquishing their royal responsibilities in 2020.

At that time, Queen Elizabeth II emphasized that the couple could not maintain part-time royal status and were required to surrender their royal positions if they wished to pursue commercial ventures.

This position was reinforced by Charles upon his accession to the throne in 2022.

Since Harry and Meghan's return to the UK, there has been apprehension regarding how the couple will function alongside active members of the royal family, and what additional friction might emerge.

For Harry, the security issue has represented an ongoing dispute with the government, as taxpayer-funded police protection was withdrawn when the couple relinquished their royal duties.

Representatives for Harry and Meghan, along with Buckingham Palace, have been contacted for additional comment.

Meanwhile, Prince William is said to have given a savage response to Harry and Meghan's return, as he's reportedly "in no mood to reconcile" with the pair.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”