Harry and Meghan to return home 'as soon as they can'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to want to return home 'as soon as they can' now that the events following the Queen's death have come to an end.

The couple left their home and their children, Archie and Lilibet, to travel from the United States prior to the Queen's passing on 8 September, having appeared at the One Young World Summit in Manchester and visited Germany ahead of next year's Invictus Games before returning to London.

Prince Harry had been expected to speak at an awards ceremony in London, but cancelled his appearance amid concerns over the Queen's health and instead travelled to Balmoral in Scotland to be with the monarch.

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Following her death, Prince Harry and Meghan have been seen taking part in a number of traditional events including the lying-in-state and processions to move the coffin, with their most recent appearance coming at the funeral yesterday (19 September).

The pair sat on the second row at Westminster Abbey as the royal family and world leaders gathered to pay their respects to the Queen, and accompanied her coffin to Windsor Castle for a Committal service and the burial.

Harry and Meghan have not seen their children throughout all of this, and The Times has reported they were expected to fly back to the United States 'as soon as they can' to be reunited with the two children, who are three and one.

Speaking to the publication last night, informed sources said the couple were still in the UK.

Their desire for a quick return has been further backed by an insider speaking to Us Weekly, who said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wanted to fly out of the UK 'almost immediately' after the funeral.

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“Meghan and Harry are preparing to return to Montecito almost immediately after the funeral, where they’ll be reunited with Archie and Lilibet after being separated for over two weeks,” the insider said, adding: “It’s the longest amount of time they have been apart from their children.”

Prince Harry paid tribute to The Queen in a heartfelt statement posted on his Archewell foundation website, saying he was 'forever grateful for all of our first meetings—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren'.

Harry and Meghan currently live in California after moving to the US in 2020.

Tyla has reached out to a representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.