The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to the UK this month, according to analysis by Rebecca Russell, Deputy Royal Editor. The move has been described as a potential strategic U-turn or a retreat, leaving many to question the motives behind the decision.
William and Catherine's Journey Since the Sussexes' Departure
When the Sussexes dropped their bombshell six years ago, Prince William and Catherine moved on, emerging stronger from the missiles launched with acerbic regularity. The distance allowed the couple to quietly build their legacy, steer the monarchy through family health crises, and hold the Firm together.
William has watched his wife and father be made vulnerable by disease while trying to keep the royal show on the road. He has fought to make real and lasting change in how the monarchy runs and has become a devoted father to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Catherine's Past Experiences with the Sussexes
Catherine watched her name dragged through the mud by her once-beloved brother-in-law. She was labelled a racist in one book by Omid Scobie and accused of making Meghan cry in Spare. The thought of the Sussexes moving back to the UK must be a less-than-enchanting prospect.
The Reality of the Return
This is not a real return to the Royal Family. There is no dutiful recant of what they have said and done. They are not getting public money or a regular schedule of royal engagements, and public trust remains thoroughly fractured.
Harry is still the beleaguered prince whose fondness for legal trials has ensured the UK's finest legal minds are never far from their silks. He is still the man who felt the need to tell the world that he did not know how long his father had, and who recently took aim at the British legal system, slamming his legal defeat as a whitewash.
Harry's isolation has been the heavy price he paid for his independence. King Charles will be thrilled to have his darling boy back and build the longed-for relationship he craves with his grandchildren, but Harry could be in for a tough lesson: the monarchy has learned to survive without him, so what he does next could be final.
