EXCLUSIVE: 'Secret Reason' Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Want 'Public Figures' Tag Revealed
The couple was recently branded 'private citizens' by King Charles.
Sept. 11 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's determination to be described as "public figures" rather than "private citizens" is secretly driven by their continuing battle over security in Britain, sources have told RadarOnline.com.
Harry, 41, and Markle, 45, returned to Britain with their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, in late August after six years living in California.
Why The 'Private Citizen' Label Terrifies Prince Harry
Prince Harry and Markle have pushed for a 'public figures' label,' according to sources.
Their status has since become a source of renewed friction after the King's Lord Chamberlain issued guidance describing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as "private citizens" and reiterating that they are not working members of the royal family.
A source familiar with the Sussexes' position claimed: "There is secretly a security dimension to why the distinction between 'private citizens' and 'public figures' matters so much to Harry and Meghan. They believe acknowledging the very public nature of their lives strengthens Harry's wider argument that his family faces risks in Britain that cannot simply be compared with those confronting ordinary private individuals."
Harry has fought a lengthy legal battle over the security arrangements applied to him and his family since he and Markle stepped back as senior working royals in 2020.
The Sussexes' departure from the royal family meant they ceased receiving the same automatic publicly funded police protection provided while they were carrying out official royal duties.
Decisions over protective security for members of the royal family and other public figures are considered by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, commonly known as Ravec.
Prince Harry's Battle Over U.K. Police Security
Prince Harry spent years fighting Britain's security decisions in court.
Another insider said: "Harry knows that calling himself a public figure doesn't automatically entitle him to taxpayer-funded protection, and nobody around him is suggesting it is as simple as changing a label and receiving police security.
"But terminology matters in the wider argument. His position has consistently been that his profile, family connections and the threats he believes they face do not disappear because he stopped being a working royal."
"Being formally characterized as a private citizen therefore cuts directly across the case he has spent years making about the exceptional security circumstances surrounding his family," the source noted.
Harry has previously challenged decisions concerning his protection through the British courts, arguing that changes made after his royal departure left him unable to bring his family safely to Britain.
His security arrangements have been considered on a case-by-case basis rather than through the automatic protection he previously received as a senior royal.
How Moving Back to Britain Changes Everything
Moving back has transformed the security dispute into an everyday family issue.
The Sussexes' return to Britain has now made that question more immediate because the family is once again living in the country rather than making occasional visits from California.
A second source claimed: "From Harry's perspective, moving back has transformed this from a dispute about protection during occasional trips into something affecting his family's everyday life.
"That is why describing the Sussexes simply as private citizens has caused such irritation. Harry believes they are globally recognizable people whose movements and public appearances attract considerable attention, regardless of whether they represent the King."
They noted, "The suspicion among some familiar with the situation is that emphasizing their status as public figures could ultimately be useful to Harry as he continues pressing his case over security. It supports the broader argument he wants considered – that stepping away from royal duties did not remove the risks associated with being the King's son."
Prince Harry Prepares For Public Return at Invictus
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Prince Harry has continued work on the Invictus Games ahead of 2027.
Harry is expected to undertake several public engagements connected with charities he supports following his return.
Those include work surrounding the Invictus Games, which Harry founded in 2014 for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.
The next Games are due to be held in Birmingham in 2027.
