Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are preparing to move back to Britain with their two children, marking a dramatic new chapter six years after they abandoned their roles as
working royals and established a new life in the United States.
The couple are expected to spend an extended period in Britain, with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, due to begin school in the country in September, according to a source close to the Sussexes. British media had reported the plans before the details were confirmed.
The decision represents a striking reversal for a couple who have spent much of the past six years building their public and commercial lives in California while openly criticising aspects of the Royal Family and Britain's media.
Harry and Meghan are not expected to return as working royals. They will instead retain their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and live privately, outside royal residences, under the arrangements agreed when they stepped back from official duties in 2020.
King Charles was reportedly informed of the plans only on Sunday, despite being said to welcome the prospect of having his youngest son and grandchildren closer to Britain. Buckingham Palace and Harry's representatives have declined to comment.
From royal wedding optimism to a bitter split
Harry's marriage to former American actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in May 2018 was initially viewed as an opportunity to modernise the monarchy and attract a new generation of supporters.
Within two years, however, the couple had announced their decision to withdraw from frontline royal duties. In March 2020 they moved to North America, eventually settling in Montecito, California, where they established a private life away from the British royal establishment.
Their departure was followed by a series of increasingly damaging revelations about their relationship with the Royal Family.
In their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan said a member of the family had raised concerns about the potential skin colour of her and Harry's first child, Archie. The allegation triggered a major international controversy and prompted Prince William to reject the suggestion that the Royal Family was racist.
Harry subsequently offered further criticism of his family, particularly his father, King Charles, and his elder brother, William, in interviews, a Netflix documentary series and his bestselling memoir, Spare.
The fallout left relations between the brothers particularly strained.
Security dispute kept Harry away
Harry's relationship with Britain was also complicated by his long-running dispute over personal security.
After losing his automatic police protection following his decision to step down as a working royal, Harry argued that he could not safely bring his wife and children to Britain without appropriate arrangements.
The issue became a significant source of tension as the Sussexes established their lives in the United States.
Yet relations between Harry and his father have shown signs of improvement.
The two men met briefly last September after a lengthy period without a face-to-face meeting. Charles' health problems have also added another dimension to their relationship. The King was diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and later said his treatment had produced an exceptionally positive response.
Last month, Harry, Meghan and their children returned to Britain, giving Charles an opportunity to see his grandchildren for the first time since 2022.
The planned move would bring Archie and Lilibet into much closer contact with their British family and their father's homeland.
A royal reconciliation — but not a full return
The Sussexes' return should not, however, be interpreted as a restoration of their former royal roles.
The couple will remain non-working members of the Royal Family and are not expected to resume official duties. Their decision to live in Britain therefore represents a personal and family move rather than a formal return to royal life.
British minister Lucy Powell described the development as positive, telling the BBC that she hoped reconciliation within the Royal Family would continue.
The biggest unresolved relationship remains Harry's with William. Despite signs of warmer relations between Harry and his father, the Duke of Sussex and the Prince of Wales are still understood to have a deeply strained relationship.
Hollywood experiment delivers mixed results
Harry and Meghan's California years have also been an experiment in building an independent media brand.
The couple secured major commercial agreements, including a podcast partnership with Spotify and a production deal with Netflix. Meghan launched lifestyle programming, while Harry's memoir became a global bestseller.
The results, however, have been uneven.
Their Spotify partnership eventually ended, while Meghan's Netflix lifestyle programme was not renewed for a third season. At the same time, the couple have remained highly visible, particularly through Meghan's growing presence on Instagram and carefully selected photographs of their family life.
Dominic Patten, executive editor of Hollywood trade publication Deadline, said the couple had not achieved the level of celebrity influence some had expected when they arrived in California, but had nevertheless maintained considerable public interest.
Their return to Britain could now reshape the next phase of the Sussexes' public lives.
After six years spent distancing themselves from the institution into which Harry was born, the couple are preparing to bring their family back to the country — even if they have no intention of returning to royal duty. Photo by Prince Harry and Meghan, Wikimedia commons.
