The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to move back to Britain more than six years after they relocated to the US, according to reports. Harry and Meghan will return to the country later this month and have already enrolled Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in British schools in preparation for the relocation.
New Residence and Ongoing Ventures
They will reside in a non-royal residence outside of London, while retaining their homes in Montecito, California, and Portugal. The duchess will continue to run her lifestyle brand As Ever from their new base.
It is understood there will be no change to Harry and Meghan's role and status as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family. It is understood that the couple are not being offered a "half-in-half-out" option when it comes to their roles.
King Charles Informed of the Move
The King, who is still living with cancer, was first made aware of the move on Sunday - three days before it was made public. He is understood to welcome the opportunity to see more of the family both in a private and personal capacity.
In January 2020, the duke and duchess announced they intended to step back as “senior” members of the royal family, become financially independent, still support Elizabeth II, but split their time between the UK and North America. The late Queen ruled at the Sandringham Summit, which was convened to resolve the crisis, that the couple could not be half in and half out. By March 2020, they had set up a permanent home in California, officially stepped down as senior royals and stopped using their HRH styles.
Recent UK Visit and Security Arrangements
The announcement comes less than two months after the duke was trying to find a way to safely bring his wife and children to the UK to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham. At the end of June, he was still waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), part of the process by which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) rules on his security requirements – and he and his security detail were working behind the scenes to try to ensure the visit could take place safely.
Meghan was able to travel to the UK in July with Archie and Lilibet to join Harry when he came to the end of a week-long series of events promoting the games. During the visit, the duke and duchess took their children to see the King for the first time in four years at his Highgrove home, but are not thought to have raised the prospect of a return to the UK at that meeting.
The Invictus Games take place from July 10-27 next year, with Birmingham expected to welcome around 550 wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans, and their families, from 25 nations.
On Wednesday night, a Home Office spokesperson said: "The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security."
The Home Secretary does not get involved in security arrangements for members of the royal family or other key public figures, and decisions are taken by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures. The committee’s membership includes the Home Office, Metropolitan Police and the royal household, who work together to advise the independent chair in making decisions, which are informed by expert risk assessments and in line with Government policy.
Harry was meeting US military veterans at an event in Washington DC on Wednesday where he told them skills from former service personnel needed to be valued more highly. A spokesman for the duke and duchess has yet to comment.
