Prince Harry and Meghan reportedly ‘a little surprised’ by King Charles’ letter

Prince Harry and Meghan are said to have been taken aback by a letter issued by King Charles reiterating that the couple are not returning as working royals.

The clarification by the monarch followed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s move back to the UK with their two children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet for an “extended stay”.

A spokesperson for the couple said they “were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance” before it was released publicly, according to multiple UK media outlets.

It’s also understood they were not consulted on the contents of the letter.

However, royal sources argue the couple were made aware of its existence before it was issued on Monday afternoon (Tuesday morning AEST), according to the BBC.

The couple were given a one hour and 12 minute heads up, the Associated Press reported, which, the Sussex team believe gave them a lack of time to respond.

This was largely due to the fact Harry had been in a meeting and was unable to be reached until two minutes before the letter was made public, the spokesperson told the publication.

The Sussexes are said to fear the contents of the letter could impact their ongoing fight for taxpayer-funded security while in the UK, with the VIP committee known as RAVEC set to meet this week to reevaluate their circumstances.

By the King expressly issuing a notice to say the couple are not - and will not become - senior working royals again while in the UK and will instead be “private citizens”, it could impact how the Home Office views the security arrangements.

“Any operational security issues should continue to be directed to the relevant police authorities,” the letter stated on the matter of security.

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‘An embarrassing blow’: Why king’s letter draws a line in the sand for Harry and Meghan

But at the end of the day, the young prince and princess - who are aged 7 and 5 - are grandchildren of the monarch, which may swing some favour for the couple’s appeal, given it’s alleged threats have been made against the kids.

The letter was sent on behalf of King Charles by the Lord Chamberlain to government departments, military officials and Lord Lieutenants emphasising that any upcoming public appearances or charity events by the Sussexes should not be treated as royal engagements at any level.

“The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity,” the letter stated.

The letter also reiterated that the couple would not use their royal titles, such as His/Her Royal Highness (HRH), in any of their business arrangements and they would continue to operate separate from the royal household.

It essentially confirmed there would be no half-in, half-out arrangements coming into place for the couple and that the so-called Sandringham Agreement outlining this - from a 2020 emergency meeting with then-Prince Charles, Prince William and the late Queen Elizabeth - still stands firm.

The agreement came into place after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex first announced their plans to seek out financial independence and move to North America in January 2020.

The family shocked the world by announcing their return to the UK last month, a week ahead of moving to the south-west of England for an indeterminate amount of time.

Prince Harry made his first public appearance since moving back to the UK almost two weeks ago, appearing at a podcast studio in London’s Tower Bridge on Monday.

Meghan and the kids are yet to be seen but are said to be settling into their new routine, with the children starting school this week somewhere in the Cotswolds.