Prince Harry Rejects ‘Not a Working Royal' Label: ‘I'll Always Be Part of the Royal Family'
Prince Harry is pushing back on the notion that he is no longer a "working royal."
The Duke of Sussex spoke with ITV on Friday, April 24 during a trip to Ukraine. He was asked by the outlet if he was familiar with the phrase "not a working royal" as a description of himself.
"No. I will always be part of the royal family," Harry replied.
"I am here working doing the things that I was born to do," he continued. "And, you know, I enjoy doing it. I enjoy coming to do these trips and supporting that I've ever before, the friends that I've made, and hopefully, bringing attention to issues that, for one reason or another, drop out of the news because something else has popped up."
Prince Harry joined the humanitarian landmine clearance organization HALO in the city of Bucha. His mother Princess Dianawas also involved with the organization and advocated for an international landmine ban when walked through an active minefield in Angola in 1997.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from the royal family in Jan. 2020. At the time, they shared plans to "carve out a progressive new role" within the royal family and "balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America."
The couple announced back in 2020, "We intend to step back as ‘senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen."
However, one year later it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would not be returning to their royal roles after moving to Markle's of home state California.
The Duke and Duchess have continued to commit themselves to service and charity work despite stepping back from their royal roles. The couple's organization Archewell Philanthropies has continued to support the armed forces, mental health, the rights of women and girls, and other causes.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 10:43 AM.