Thank you for subscribing!
Archie and Lilibet are due to start school next week
The Duchess of Sussex has pressed ahead with promoting her As Ever lifestyle brand despite King Charles firmly shutting the door on any working royal status for her and Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle, 44, shared a fresh image on the brand's Instagram page showing her gathering garden produce alongside Pula, the couple's black Labrador, adopted shortly after their 2018 wedding.
The photograph appears to have been captured at their former Montecito residence, given that she wore identical clothing from a previous shoot.
The post followed promotions for a new $55 (£40) sparkling wine and the brand's blackberry spread just days earlier.
Influencer PR packages have also continued to go out, with New York lifestyle creator Olivia McDowell sharing items she received, including a jar, candle and personal note from Meghan.
Beyond her commercial ventures, the Duchess is reportedly contemplating a return to charitable endeavours once Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are settled into their new British lives.
A source close to Meghan told The Sunday Times: "She is thinking about plans for how she can get more involved and support the causes she was supporting and was passionate about again, and new causes too."
Smart Works, the charity helping unemployed and vulnerable women find employment, is understood to be a priority.
Of the four patronages Meghan held after marrying Harry, it was the sole one she maintained following her departure from royal duties.
The couple are also weighing up a "fair" framework for media access to her charitable activities, having abandoned the traditional royal rota when they left Britain in 2020.
The daily school run is said to represent the family's "biggest area of concern" as it "creates the most dangers," with the couple continuing to lobby for round-the-clock armed police protection now that they are living in the UK.
Archie and Lilibet are due to start school next week, and their parents have reportedly been discreetly purchasing uniforms and supplies while trying to stay out of the public eye.
The Royal and VIP Executive Committee, the Home Office body that oversees royal security decisions, was expected to convene as early as today to consider what arrangements should be put in place for the Sussexes.
The King's letter, however, arrived just ahead of that crucial Ravec meeting, making clear that no public funds should be directed towards the couple.
A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess said: "We were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance," adding that the letter's publication had caught them off guard.
The letter's publication coincided with Harry's first public appearance since returning to Britain: a visit to Tower Bridge Studios where he signed a mural while working on an undisclosed project. A source described the atmosphere as "very relaxed."
