Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to UK raises four major questions after announcement sparks shock
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly preparing for an imminent return to the UK which has raised questions among royal experts regarding four key areas.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made plans for their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, to attend school in Britain this autumn.
While the duration of their stay has not been revealed, it is expected that the family will make the UK their main home for an extended period while maintaining their property in California and a holiday home in Portugal.
Their new home in the UK will not be a royal property, according to a report in PEOPLE magazine, and the location of the property as well as the children’s school is being ‘closely guarded’.
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Since leaving the UK and stepping back from senior royal duties in 2020, one area of contention has been security for the Sussexes. After Harry and Meghan stepped back, the pair lost their taxpayer-funded police protection, prompting Harry to contest the decision with a years-long legal battle.
The couple also relinquished Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor home gifted to them by the late Queen Elizabeth II following their wedding in 2018. They gave the keys back in 2023.
There has also been a rift in the family, notably between Prince Harry and Prince William. The Sussexes travelled to the UK this summer to meet with King Charles and Queen Camila privately, which reportedly went well.
News of the couple’s move back to Britain has raised questions about security, their relationship with Prince William and Kate Middleton, if they will resume working as working royals and why the move from the U.S. is happening now.
Will Harry and Meghan return as working royals?
In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping back as working royals. As part of their agreement, the couple said they intended to support themselves by earning their own money.
Despite the move back to the UK, there are no plans for Harry and Meghan to resume their roles as working royals, according to the BBC. However this could change in the future.
Harry and Meghan had previously pitched a ‘half in half our’ model for their future and their tour of Australia in April, which merged commercial events and charitable appearances was seen as a successful execution of this.
Meghan is expected to continue working on her lifestyle brand As Ever while in the UK and Harry will be closer to his charities, including Scotty’s Little Soldiers and WellChild.
What will the relationship with William and Kate be like?
Prince Harry and Prince William are still estranged. When the Sussexes left Britain six years ago, their relationship with William and Kate was strained. Tensions reportedly deepened following Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix docu-series and Harry’s memoir Spare.
In May last year, Harry told the BBC he would ‘love’ a reconciliation with his family.
Harry told the broadcaster: “There’s no point in continuing to fight."
What is the security arrangement for the Sussexes?
One question that remains unclear is what security will look like for the Sussexes. The move has been called the ‘clearest sign yet’ that Harry believes security concerns have reached a point where he feels comfortable to move his family to the UK, according to PEOPLE. However a spokesperson for the couple declined to comment specifically about security.
Other royal sources say there has not been a comment on whether the family will get official police protection in the UK or whether there had been a resolution regarding Harry’s dispute with the Home Office for official protection when in the UK.
In the US, the Sussexes employed a private security team. According to the BBC, it is unclear if the team would move with the family to the UK.
After losing a legal challenge over his security when in the UK, Harry told the BBC: "I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point."
Why now?
A potential driver for the return that has been suggested is the king’s cancer diagnosis.
Last year, Harry said he did ‘not know how much longer my father has’, as per the BBC.
He flew to the UK hours after the king’s health news was announced in 2024 and he saw his father again in September last year.
The duke then facilitated a meeting with his wife and two children and the king at Highgrove House in July.
Other reports say the family’s summer in Europe prompted a decision to move to the UK permanently. According to the BBC, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are said to have ‘loved being with the family’ of Diana, Princess of Wales.
The broadcaster says the move is not due to ‘any problems in the US’ and is instead driven by their desire to spend more time in Europe, nearer to the royals and ‘wanting to educate their children in the UK’.
The UK is not expected to be a ‘forever move’ for now, however they are planning to remain an extended period.
Topics: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle
Greg Harris