Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly weeks away from returning to the UK permanently, enrolling their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, in British schools for the start of the new school term. The development comes despite no official confirmation from the couple, who have lived in California since stepping back from royal duties in 2020.
Blindsiding the King Again
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to have kept the decision from King Charles III during a recent reconciliation meeting at Highgrove just six weeks ago, where they shared tea and cake. The Mirror reports that the King was "blindsided" by the news, having not been informed of the major life decision during the visit.
This mirrors the couple's 2020 announcement of their departure from the royal family, which blindsided the late Queen Elizabeth II with an Instagram post just before the COVID-19 lockdown.
Why Now?
The Mirror's Royal Insider newsletter speculates on the reasons behind the move, suggesting financial motives or a decline in popularity in the US. The newsletter notes that the Sussexes' star has "fallen" in California, with a fair few Californians and guests from across the US expressing an "overwhelming thumbs down" opinion of the couple.
The newsletter questions whether the couple has "gone skint" or are "such a busted flush in America that no one wants to work with them," adding that it's "entirely plausible" they have burned through their reported $100 million earnings in six years.
No Room for Half-In, Half-Out Royals
The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be determined not to be derailed by the development, having emerged stronger from the princess's cancer battle and the King's own health issues. The Mirror reports that the King and Prince William are "completely united that there is no space for Harry and Meghan to be 'half in, half out' royals."
Even if the Sussexes were to give up all their corporate gigs, which have earned them tens of millions of pounds while trashing the family from afar with allegations of abandonment, threats, and racism, the newsletter questions "how on earth could they be let back in?"
The matter will be a decisive one for the King and his heir, with potential fireworks on the horizon if the aging monarch changes his mind or instructs his eldest son to forgive and forget.
