The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to relocate to the UK at the end of the month, having already enrolled their two children at British schools. Archie and Lilibet will begin their education in Britain in September. The couple will retain their status as non-working royals and will live in a non-royal residence outside London.
Meghan Markle's acting career in the UK
Meghan Markle's acting career in the UK has been shrouded in mystery after new reports claimed her casting has been withdrawn. The Duchess of Sussex was reportedly in talks to return to acting, which would coincide with her relocation back to the UK, six years after leaving the country and moving to the US.
Prince Harry's wife was understood to be in early-stage discussions over a possible role in a third series of Guy Ritchie's Netflix UK hit The Gentlemen, Deadline reported. But some reports claimed her casting had been withdrawn; however, neither the streaming giant nor the duchess has confirmed or denied her possible casting yet.
Former royal butler Grant Harrold told Marie Claire on behalf of CanadaCasino: “These jobs can take months, and Meghan won't want to be apart from Harry,” adding that the move would be “huge for her acting goals, so I think Harry will be supportive.”
Reconciliation with King Charles
Another big factor in the Sussexes' decision to relocate to Britain could be King Charles, according to Mr Harrold. The King, who is still undergoing treatment for cancer, “could be a very big part” of the move.
Mr Harrold said: “As the pair work to repair their relationship, I think Harry will want to spend as much time with his dad as possible. Despite everything that's been said, Harry adores his dad. When I was there, I witnessed the relationship between the two of them, and it was very fun and very comical. Harry used to do a lot of things to make his dad smile, and his dad used to do a lot of things to make Harry smile.”
Rift with Prince William
Royal expert Rachel Bowie said Harry's move could help pave the way for a possible path to reconciliation with his older brother, the Prince of Wales. Harry and William have been estranged since the duke's sensational departure in 2020 and his subsequent claims in his docuseries for Netflix and his memoir, Spare.
She told the outlet: “The brothers famously haven't spoken in years and William especially seems to have zero interest in mending their relationship. But with Prince Harry local again, how long can William avoid the issue? That was perhaps a motive in Harry's decision to return home.”
Missing Britain and children's education
The Duke of Sussex has previously opened up about how pleased he is in California. However, there have been countless reports with experts and sources claiming that he misses his home country dearly. Mr Harrold said: “He could, despite everything he's said, have suddenly thought, 'Actually, I miss the U.K. I want to come back,' and then started looking at the options and reasons for doing so. I think the last few trips to the UK may have reminded him just how much he misses being here.”
Another potential motive for the couple, according to the royal expert, could be their children's education. Archie, seven and Lilibet, five, have already been enrolled in British schools and will start in September. Ms Bowie said: “As any parent knows, the choice of school for our kids is not a decision that's entered into lightly. The UK is also world-renowned for its options. We may not yet know where Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will attend school in Britain, but we can guess that this is a decision that Harry and Meghan considered at length.”
She added that “the decision to be educated in the U.K. will help Archie and Lilibet better understand their modern roles within the monarchy, just as it has done for the royal family members who came before.”
Preserving Diana's memory and the Invictus Games
Following the duke's visit to his mother's childhood home and resting place, Althorp House, this summer, the royal experts speculated that Harry may wish to be closer to her in order to keep her legacy alive. Ms Bowie said that living in England may give Harry the chance to “honour [Diana's] memory more directly and in conjunction with his children, who are now older and better equipped to understand her impact on his life.”
The Duke of Sussex will head to Birmingham next year for the Invictus Games. Last July, Harry visited the UK for five days, when he carried out various engagements linked to his patronages, many of which were linked to his passion project. Mr Harrold said: “Maybe Harry needs to be on the ground and needs to be here for some of the planning. Perhaps he feels that being here would make things easier and allow him to be more involved. Again, it ties in very nicely if Meghan has got this acting deal, because it means he can then focus on that while she's doing what she needs to do.”
