Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to Britain with their family, six years after stepping down as working royals. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex landed at Birmingham Airport on Wednesday with Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five. The children are due to start school in Britain in September, while Harry and Meghan will remain non-working royals and keep their home in Montecito, California.
Exactly where the family will live has not been revealed, although they are expected to settle in a private, non-royal residence outside London. Their arrival in Birmingham has fuelled speculation that they could settle in the Cotswolds, where they previously rented a home after their 2018 wedding, although their exact address has not been disclosed. If they do settle there, they could find themselves surrounded by royal relatives.
Here, the Express looks at seven royal households with homes in and around the Cotswolds and ranks their relationship with Harry and Meghan, starting with those seemingly most likely to welcome them back.
King Charles at Highgrove
King Charles could be among those happiest to have his youngest son back in Britain, with royal sources saying he is pleased to have the chance to see Harry, Meghan and his grandchildren more regularly. The King spends time at Highgrove, his much-loved country home near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, potentially putting him within easy reach of the Sussexes if they do settle in the Cotswolds.
The family had already held a significant reunion in July, when Harry and Meghan visited Highgrove with Archie and Lilibet. It allowed Charles to see his Sussex grandchildren in person for the first time since 2022. Harry's relationship with his father has been badly tested since he stepped down as a working royal, but their recent meeting and the family's return to Britain suggest there could now be an opportunity to rebuild their bond.
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are reported to live with their young family at a farmhouse in the Cotswolds. Beatrice and Harry were once considered close, and their relationship has historically appeared warmer than Harry's ties with some senior members of the Royal Family. However, there have been signs that the relationship has cooled. Recent reports have suggested Harry and Meghan are no longer as close to Beatrice and her younger sister Princess Eugenie as they once were. Beatrice nevertheless attended Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018 and has not publicly joined in criticism of the couple.
Peter and Harriet Phillips at Gatcombe Park
Peter Phillips lives on his mother Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire and married Harriet Sperling earlier this summer. Harry and Peter grew up together as two of Queen Elizabeth II's grandchildren, but their relationship appears to have become considerably more distant in recent years. Harry and Meghan did not attend Peter and Harriet's Cotswolds wedding in June. Sources told ITV that Harry and Peter had not stayed in touch since the Duke moved to California. There is little publicly known about Harriet's personal relationship with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Zara Tindall at Aston Farm
Zara Tindall and Prince Harry were considered close growing up, but reports suggest the cousins have drifted apart in recent years. Zara lives with her husband Mike and their three children at Aston Farm, close to her mother Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park home. Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe reported earlier this year that sources said they had "barely spoken" in recent years and that their old bond had "almost entirely evaporated". Zara and Mike have meanwhile remained visibly close to Prince William and Princess Kate, regularly appearing alongside them at major royal and sporting events. Zara herself has not publicly spoken out against Harry or Meghan, however, and their previously close relationship means there is considerably more history between them than some of the other relatives on this list.
Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence
Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence live at Gatcombe Park, the Gloucestershire estate that has been the Princess Royal's home for decades. Anne has largely kept her own views about Harry and Meghan out of public view. However, the Princess Royal is one of the monarchy's busiest and longest-serving working members and has spent decades supporting both her late mother Queen Elizabeth II and her brother King Charles. Harry's departure from royal duties and subsequent public criticism of the institution therefore leaves Anne in an interesting position. Royal commentators have suggested Anne was unhappy about the impact the family turmoil had on the late Queen, although the Princess Royal has never publicly said this herself. Royal commentators have also previously suggested Anne had a soft spot for her nephew.
