Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are reportedly planning to return to the UK with their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, who are already enrolled in a new school. The couple, who have lived in North America since 2019, have faced intense media scrutiny and strained relationships with the Royal Family. Despite their hopes for privacy and an apology, observers say these are unlikely to be granted.
Background of the Sussexes' move
Since 2019, Harry and Meghan have lived in North America, first on Vancouver Island, Canada, and then in Montecito, California. They have openly discussed the difficulties they experienced as royals in Britain and the relative peace they found overseas. The couple’s decision to return has surprised many, given the deep stress they faced in the UK.
From the start of their relationship in 2016, the press attention was significant. Tabloids had always been interested in Prince Harry’s personal life, but coverage intensified when he began dating Meghan, the mixed-race former Suits actress. Her clothes, previous relationships, and family background came under intense scrutiny, with many arguing that racial bias played a part in the coverage.
Key events and ongoing tensions
In 2021, Harry and Meghan gave an in-depth interview to Oprah Winfrey, in which Meghan said she had suicidal thoughts over the brutal attention, claimed a family member had concerns about the colour of Archie’s skin before his birth in 2019, and said Kate had made her cry ahead of her 2018 wedding. The interview further strained relations with the Palace, and Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare, dashed hopes of reconciliation.
As far as the public knows, King Charles, the Queen, William, or Kate have not apologised for their part in Harry and Meghan’s upsetting experience or acknowledged any truth in their allegations. A public apology from that core group of Royals, observers say, would make a significant difference.
Legal setbacks and family ties
Last month, Harry lost his High Court privacy case against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, following a separate legal defeat regarding publicly funded security for his family. Those cases clearly drained Harry, making his decision to return even more curious.
Despite the tensions, Harry has maintained some form of relationship with his father, returning for Charles’s coronation and during his cancer treatment. The King is said to welcome the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family privately, but was reportedly only told of these plans a few days before they became public. If this is the case, their return is not specifically requested by the monarch, who has not seen his grandchildren for the best part of four years.
