The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly planning to move back to Britain in a shock development more than six years after they relocated to the US.
The couple are said to be returning to the UK later this month – making their home in a non-royal residence outside of London – and have already enrolled Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in British schools.
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.
King Charles informed of the move
The King, who is still living with cancer, was first made aware of the move on Sunday, only three days before it was made public, but is understood to welcome the opportunity to see more of the family both in a private and personal capacity.
But their status will remain the same, with the couple not being offered a “half-in-half-out” option when it comes to their roles.
The Sussexes’ decision raises the question of how the news will be met by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
William – a future king – is estranged from his brother after Harry levelled a barrage of accusations against the prince, Kate, the King and Queen Camilla in the years since the Megxit crisis of 2020.
Former BBC correspondent comments on the return
Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt suggested the surprise return is likely to have left William “apoplectic”.
Mr Hunt told the Press Association: “In the long term, the return of the Sussexes to the UK opens up the prospect of two rival courts, William’s and Harry’s.
“In the short term, Harry will be able to deepen his rapprochement with his father.
“And his presence back home will make it harder for his brother to duck a reconciliation.
“The surprise return of Harry and Meghan is likely to have left William apoplectic.”
The move is also likely to spark debate as to how the British public will react to the U-turn, after the criticism the Sussexes have made about the royal family and the institution of the monarchy.
A YouGov poll found last month that only 22% of Britons see Meghan in a positive light, compared with 65% who hold an unfavourable opinion of the former actress, with 33% seeing Harry positively and 58% negatively.
Details of the move and past events
The Telegraph and Sun – which both broke the story on Wednesday night – reported that Archie, seven, and Lili, five, will start at their new schools in September.
The Sussexes will retain their homes in Montecito, California, and Portugal, while the duchess will continue to run her lifestyle brand As Ever from their new base.
Harry and former Suits star Meghan, who married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in May 2018, were once dubbed part of the “Fab Four” with the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
But in March 2019, Buckingham Palace announced Harry and Meghan would set up their own household, breaking from the joint operation they had with William and Kate, amid media reports of rifts between the two couples.
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.
The shock 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.
A spokesman for the duke and duchess has yet to comment.
