Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are making a return to the United Kingdom along with their children, as confirmed by Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. The move, initially reported by The Telegraph and The Sun, will see the Duke and Duchess relocating with their kids, Prince Archie, aged 7, and Princess Lilibet, aged 5, while maintaining a private citizen status, according to the Palace.
Although the exact timeline of their return to Britain has not been officially disclosed, media speculations suggest it will be in time for the children to commence school in September. The couple originally stepped back from their full-time royal duties and departed the U.K. in March 2020, subsequently settling in California after a brief period in Canada.
Their decision to relocate comes amidst strained relations with the Royal Family following public criticisms of the monarchy and family members by Harry and Meghan. Notably, Harry expressed discontent with the British government altering his security arrangements, preventing him from bringing his children back to the UK. Despite these challenges, Harry emphasized in an interview with James Corden that he never intended to “walk away” from his royal responsibilities.
In a legal setback, Harry was part of a group of prominent figures in the U.K. who recently lost privacy lawsuits against The Daily Mail’s publisher, which had been accused of engaging in unlawful practices. Harry had testified against the publication, stating it had severely impacted Meghan’s well-being. Following the court ruling, Harry criticized the decision as a biased exoneration of the newspaper.
A positive development in the family dynamic emerged when King Charles and Harry reunited after a prolonged period of estrangement last September. The family’s recent visit to Britain in July allowed King Charles to meet his grandchildren for the first time since 2022. The Palace has revealed that the King supports Harry and Meghan’s decision to relocate and looks forward to spending more time with the Sussex family in a personal capacity.
King Charles, who underwent cancer treatment in early 2024, has responded well to the medical interventions, prompting a transition to a precautionary phase. This positive health update follows previous concerns about his undisclosed cancer diagnosis and treatment progress.
