Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are 'Desperate for Recognition' After UK Return, Ex-Royal Press Secretary Claims

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are 'desperate for recognition' following their return to Britain, former Buckingham Palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter has claimed.

His remarks, reported on Monday, 26 October 2026, came during an appearance on the Daily Express royal podcast Royals Unscripted.

Arbiter told Daily Express royal editor Emily Ferguson that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wanted the attention associated with public figures despite no longer representing the monarchy.

His assessment followed the family's move from California in August, six years after the couple stepped back from official royal duties.

Their return has not restored their former status within Buckingham Palace. The move has nevertheless renewed debate about their public profile and professional activities, although Arbiter's claims about their motivations remain his personal interpretation rather than established facts.

Arbiter Claims Harry and Meghan Are 'Desperate for Recognition'

'They're desperate for recognition. They failed in the States, which is why they've come back here,' Arbiter said, according to the Daily Express. He also suggested the couple had expected an enthusiastic reception upon returning to Britain.

Arbiter provided no financial figures or specific evidence to support his assertion that their years in America had been unsuccessful. Prince Harry, however, has publicly offered a different explanation for relocating with Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

In an interview with British GQ published on 22 October, Harry said the move offered 'opportunities for the family', including enrolling their children in a British school and spending more time near relatives. He explained that he wanted them to experience the country where he grew up after years of largely brief visits from the United States.

Harry also described the relocation as a relatively quick decision rather than a longstanding arrangement. His explanation did not identify difficulties with the couple's American business ventures as a reason for leaving California.

Arbiter also questioned the public response to the Sussexes' visit to Nottingham on 15 October, when they attended engagements at several community organisations. 'The crowds weren't terrific up there in Nottingham,' he said, suggesting the reception might have surprised them.

However, contemporary reporting presented a different picture. Daily Express journalists estimated that approximately 150 to 200 people gathered at the couple's first stop, the Community Recording Studio, while ITV News reported that well-wishers cheered, greeted the couple and posed for photographs.

The differing accounts highlight the difficulty of measuring public enthusiasm through attendance figures alone. Arbiter's assessment represents his interpretation of the Nottingham reception rather than an established measure of the Sussexes' popularity.

Buckingham Palace Maintains the Sussexes' Non-Working Royal Status

Asked how Buckingham Palace should respond to the couple, Arbiter suggested that the institution should concentrate on royals who continue performing official duties. He acknowledged, however, that ignoring Harry and Meghan might not prevent further public attention.

'But I don't think they're going to go away,' Arbiter said, arguing that the Palace already had sufficient responsibilities without becoming involved in disputes surrounding the Sussexes.

His comments were made in a personal capacity and did not represent Buckingham Palace policy. The institution has separately clarified Harry and Meghan's official standing following their return.

On 7 September 2026, Lord Benyon, the Lord Chamberlain, issued guidance at King Charles's direction confirming there had been 'no change' to the couple's royal status. The correspondence reaffirmed that they would not resume official duties and that their charitable activities would remain independent of the monarchy.

The Palace described their position as comparable to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests. That distinction concerns their responsibilities to the Crown, rather than whether they remain members of the Royal Family or continue pursuing professional work.

The terminology has also reportedly caused disagreement. A friend of the Sussexes told The Sunday Times that the couple objected to the expression 'working members of the Royal Family', arguing that it misleadingly connected employment with official royal responsibilities.

'Their days are built around their family life and their work. She's running a business seven days a week,' the friend said, referring to Meghan's professional activities.

The friend was not publicly identified, and the comments were not made directly by Harry or Meghan. Nevertheless, the account reflects a distinction between their independent careers and the formal duties performed by working members of the monarchy.

Since stepping away from royal responsibilities in 2020, the couple have pursued commercial and charitable projects, including Harry's involvement with the Invictus Games and Meghan's lifestyle business, As Ever.

Those activities remain separate from official engagements undertaken on behalf of the Sovereign. Buckingham Palace's September guidance reaffirmed that arrangement without preventing the couple from continuing their independent work.

Arbiter maintains that the Palace should focus on its existing responsibilities rather than the Sussexes' public profile. However, his suggestion that their return was driven by professional failure remains unsupported by the evidence he presented and differs from Harry's own explanation, while their formal position within the monarchy remains unchanged.