Strict rule Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said to have in place for Archie and Lilibet ahead of return to UK

Ever since it emerged that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were planning to move back to the UK, questions have arisen over exactly what this would look like.

The Duke, 41, and Duchess of Sussex, 45, moved to California six years ago, which was followed by family fallouts, public interviews, and accusations towards some members of the Royal Family.

But after a few meetings with King Charles III, it was announced this week that Harry and Meghan are set to return later this month to live in a non-royal residence outside of London, having already enrolled Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, in British schools.

According to sources who spoke with The Telegraph, the Duke and Duchess have a strategy in place to help their UK return run as smoothly as possible - and it comes with some strict rules.

Among the rules, the outlet reports that there will be no pictures taken of Archie or Lilibet on their first day at their new school and no portraits released on their birthdays.

The news of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's shock move broke this week (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

This is something that royal fans will be used to seeing with Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, who release an official photo each year.

However, Harry and Meghan have consistently opted for a different route and rarely show their faces on social media to protect their privacy.

According to the publication, another rule states that the royal couple won’t be taking part in any TV interviews where they ‘might be encouraged to overshare’ or talk about private details surrounding other Royal Family members.

And not only this, the sources claim that taking it a step further, there will be ‘nothing said in public about the Royal Family’.

Harry and Meghan have always kept their children's faces out of photos to protect their privacy (Instagram/@meghan)

Finally, they will not make an announcement about their new home, which will be entirely private as it’s a non-royal residence.

The Sussexes are keeping their homes in Montecito, California, and Portugal, and Meghan will reportedly continue to run her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from their new UK base.

Meanwhile, Harry has faced a protracted legal battle with the Home Office over the security arrangements for him and his family while in the UK, after his level of protection changed when he stepped down as a working royal in 2020, so it’s unknown what his security situation will look like upon his return and whether it will be publicly funded.

When quizzed on the topic, Prime Minister Andy Burnham simply said the funding for it was a ‘private matter’ and ‘we wish them well in the moves that they’re making’.

The family's security arrangements have also been thrown into question (@meghan/Instagram)

It comes just over a month after the family travelled to the UK for a private family reunion with King Charles on 10 July, where they spent just over an hour together.

This marked the first time the British monarch had seen his California-based grandchildren in years, and royal insiders described the huge moment as an important step towards repairing the family fallout.

Harry and Meghan’s last public UK appearance was 19 September 2022, at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral at Westminster Abbey.

Tyla has contacted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.