Harry and Meghan surprised by the way Buckingham Palace released letter on non-working royal status

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, were surprised by the way Buckingham Palace released a letter that made clear they remain non-working members of the royal family even though they have returned to the United Kingdom.

The letter, sent on behalf of King Charles III to senior government and military officials, caught the couple off guard when it was released to the media on Monday in part because they were given little time to review or comment on its contents, a person familiar with the discussions said.

The couple’s representatives received a copy of the letter just one hour and 12 minutes before it was released to news outlets, the person said. That left them with little time to respond because they were unable to reach Harry, who was in a meeting, until just two minutes before the letter was released, the person added.

The letter said Harry and Meghan would continue to refrain from using the formal royal titles, such as his royal highness and her royal highness, as they have done since stepping back from official royal duties in 2020. Any charity work the couple undertakes will be carried out in a private capacity, and operational security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies, the letter said.

“To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that (this) information be shared,” the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, said in the letter.

Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020 when they moved to North America to make their own living through lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify. At the time, Queen Elizabeth II made clear that the couple could not be part-time royals and they had to give up their royal positions if they wanted to pursue such commercial arrangements. Charles reiterated that position after he became king in 2022.

The couple's reaction to the letter, which confirms that their status remains unchanged, highlights tensions surrounding their return to the U.K. Some palace observers have expressed concern that Harry and Meghan's presence in Britain could allow them to establish a sort of parallel royal court that would compete with working members of the royal family.

The security question is particularly sensitive because Harry has fought a long-running battle with the government for the restoration of publicly funded police protection, which was canceled when the couple gave up their royal roles.

Any decision about whether to restore the couple’s round-the-clock police protection is a matter for a government panel known as RAVEC, or the Royal and VIP Executive Committee. The committee is expected to meet this week, the person familiar with the discussions said.

FILE - Prince Harry, and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, arrive for an event, during a visit to Bondi Beach, Australia, April 17, 2026. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - Britain's King Charles III, from bottom left, Camilla, the Queen Consort, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is placed into the hearse following the state funeral service in Westminster Abbey in central London Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool, File)

FILE - Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sail on the harbor in Sydney, on April 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister says he was left “very, very sad” by the club's decision not to offer him a contract extension. He's still holding out hope for a new deal.

Mac Allister, a Premier League winner with Liverpool in 2024-25, said on Tuesday he had options to leave Liverpool in the offseason. He argued he doesn't need to prove he deserves the sort of extension given to his midfield teammates Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch this year.

"I received the news that the club was not in a position to offer me a new contract, which of course makes me very, very sad because I think everyone can see that I give my 100% for this football club every single day in training, games," he said ahead of Liverpool's Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

“I see Dominik and Ryan renewing their contracts and that makes me very happy because they deserve it, but at the same time it makes me a little bit sad that I didn’t get mine. Of course, there is still time. I think the fans don’t need to worry because I will give my 100% until the last day I’m here.

"We will see what happens, but there were options to leave this summer and I think right now I’m in the right club and I have the right mindset to give my 100% for this club.”

Mac Allister’s contract runs through the 2027-28 season. Without an extension he could have more leverage for a transfer next year. Otherwise Liverpool would risk losing him for no fee when his deal ends.

A World Cup winner in 2022, the Argentina midfielder joined Liverpool in 2023 for Jürgen Klopp's final season.

“It’s a very successful period of my life and I don’t think I have to prove something but of course I have to show the level that I can perform,” he said.

Asked about Mac Allister's comments, coach Andoni Iraola signaled he's happy with the midfielder's performances in all three of their Premier League games.

“The important thing is that he wants to be here. He wants to continue here,” Iraola said ahead of his first European game as Liverpool manager. “I rate him very highly.”

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

FILE - Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister celebrates after scoring during the Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and West Ham United in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)