Meghan Markle and Prince Harry 'Hate' Being Called Working Royals as Couple Objects to 'Lazy' Label, Friend Claims

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dislike the phrase 'working members of the royal family' because they remain family members and continue to work independently, according to a friend quoted in a new report. The source called the terminology 'lazy', distinguishing the couple's professional and charitable activities from duties undertaken on behalf of the monarch.

The comments followed their joint visit to Nottingham on 15 October, their first public appearance together in the UK since returning in August. Although the visit received a warm reception from some members of the public, it also attracted criticism online from people who questioned whether its format resembled an official royal engagement.

Why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Object to the 'Working Royals' Label

According to The Sunday Times, a friend of the Sussexes said the couple object to terminology that distinguishes official royal duties from the work they undertake independently.

'"Working members of the royal family" is a really lazy phrase. He hates it, she hates it,' the source said.

The friend also reportedly said: 'They are not "working" for the institution but they are members of the royal family and they work.'

The source also objected to the description 'former royals', arguing that the couple's departure from official duties had not ended their membership of the family.

The reported objection concerns how their activities are described, rather than an announced change in their royal status. Neither Harry nor Meghan was quoted directly expressing the views attributed to them by the friend.

The couple have continued to pursue independent professional and charitable activities since stepping back from their official roles in 2020. Meghan's lifestyle business, As Ever, is one example of her commercial work outside the royal institution.

Their independent activities do not constitute a resumption of duties on behalf of the King. They retain their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, which are separate from their status as non-working members of the Royal Family.

Nottingham Visit Reignites Debate Over Sussexes' Royal Status

During their Nottingham visit, Harry and Meghan met community groups and charities, including the Community Recording Studio, Himmah and Epic Partners. Their itinerary focused on youth development, food poverty and community support.

The city holds significance for the couple. On 1 December 2017, they visited Nottingham for their first joint public engagement following the announcement of their engagement in November that year.

Their latest appearance prompted criticism from some users on X, including descriptions of it as a 'pretend royal engagement'. Critics compared elements of the visit with traditional royal walkabouts and questioned why the couple continued to undertake public appearances resembling their former duties.

Those comments represented individual reactions rather than a formal assessment of the visit. The engagements were undertaken in a private capacity, and similarities in format to earlier royal appearances did not establish that the couple were representing the monarchy.

The charity visits also provided the immediate context for the friend's reported comments: Harry and Meghan were continuing public-facing work, but outside the official programme of the Royal Household.

King Charles Reaffirms Harry and Meghan Are Not Working Royals

Guidance issued on 7 September reaffirmed that the Sussexes' return to Britain did not signal a reinstatement of their former royal responsibilities. The letter was sent by the Lord Chamberlain on King Charles III's behalf, before the Nottingham visit.

It said the couple's charitable work was 'a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity'. The guidance reaffirmed the arrangements agreed in 2020 rather than announcing a new restriction on their independent activities.

Under those arrangements, Harry and Meghan no longer carry out official royal duties or use their His and Her Royal Highness styles in their public capacity, while retaining their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles.

The Royal Family's official website continues to describe them as having stepped back as working members of the institution. That remains the official position, distinct from the friend's criticism of how the terminology reflects their independent work.