Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hate the term ‘working royals’ and think describing them as ‘former royals’ is ‘lazy’, a friend claims.

‘Working members’ of the Firm include King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton, to name a few, and describe those who attend official occasions and carry out engagements on behalf of the Royal Family.

Having stepped back from such duties, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not to referred to using the phrase.

However, they insist they are ‘royals who are working’ and apparently don’t like the term, which excludes them.

‘He hates it, she hates it’, a friend of the couple said.

A friend of the couple said Meghan finds the working royals title ‘lazy’ and insists the pair are, in fact, very busy working on their own projects.

Harry, 42, is focused on his UK-based charities, while Meghan, 45, continues to run her As Ever brand of food and homeware, with plans to sell the products in the UK.

They are also dedicated parents to their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The pal told the Sunday Times that the Sussexes also disliked being referred to as ‘former royals’, a phrase they find ‘misleading’ given that Harry remains the King’s son.

On their return to the UK in August, Buckingham Palace communicated the King’s wish that the couple be treated as ‘private citizens’ with commercial and charitable interests.

According to another friend, the family will not be at the usual royal Christmas gathering in Sandringham and plan to spend the festive season with Meghan’s mother in Montecito, California.

They said it was unlikely the family would have been invited for the festivities, given tensions between Harry and his father – who has been in Balmoral in Scotland since the Duke’s return.

He is thought to have not spoken to his brother, the Prince of Wales, since 2022.

Harry and Meghan were reportedly delighted at their reception at their first public visit in Nottingham this week.

While one woman in a crowd shouted: ‘We love you Duchess Meghan’, others were quick to heckle the couple on Friday.

The engagement bore all the hallmarks of an official royal event, but was carried out in a private capacity following the King’s instructions to government stakeholders last month.

Such appearances will continue to be ‘rare’, sources say, with Meghan prioritise personal and family interests as well as pondering a possible return to acting.

The Duchess is rumoured to be in negotiations for a role in the hit Netflix show The Gentlemen.

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