LONDON — A public relations expert is pushing back on the characterization of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as "private citizens," arguing the label misrepresents the couple's continued high-profile public activity even after Buckingham Palace formally reiterated their non-working royal status earlier this month.

The palace's position was laid out in a letter issued September 7 on behalf of King Charles III by the Lord Chamberlain, Richard Benyon, Lord Benyon, which stated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's position "is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests." The letter reaffirmed that Harry and Meghan's His and Her Royal Highness styles remain in abeyance and confirmed there had been no change to their status since they stepped back from royal duties in January 2020.

Olivia Bennet, a senior public relations director at the agency Go Up, argued that framing carries an inaccurate implication about how the couple actually operates. "Calling Harry and Meghan private citizens suggests people who have stepped away from public life altogether, whereas that clearly isn't an accurate reflection of how they currently operate," Bennet told The Mirror.

Bennet pointed to the range of public-facing work the couple continues to carry out as evidence the "private citizen" label doesn't fully capture their current role. "They have charitable initiatives, public appearances, commercial interests and causes they continue to........

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