Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have landed back in the UK with their two children, Archie and Lilibet, to begin a new chapter in the Duke of Sussex's native country. The couple, who quit both their roles as senior working royals and Britain in 2020, announced last week they would be relocating from their home in Montecito, California.
Arrival and New Life in the UK
They are believed to have found a private, non-royal home outside of London, and their children have been enrolled in British schools, starting in just a few weeks. Harry and Meghan are believed to have arrived by private plane on Thursday, bringing their own private security team. They were not met by any taxpayer-funded close police protection or had a police convoy, something they previously had when they were working royals.
They are believed to have flown across the Atlantic on a Bombardier Global Express XRS luxury long-range business jet, owned and chartered by Planet Nine Private Aircraft, an aircraft rental company. The cost of hiring such a jet is estimated at $12,000 (£9,000) an hour.
Royal Rift and 'Complete Lockstep'
The Duke and Duchess will not resume their roles as working royals after stepping down six years ago. After leaving the UK, they took part in several high-profile interviews, including with Oprah Winfrey, a Netflix series, and Harry published his memoir, Spare. The couple also made a number of claims about their time as working royals, including a fight that is said to have happened between Harry and his elder brother, William, over his relationship with Meghan Markle.
King Charles and Prince William are believed to have been told at the same time of the couple's plans to move back to the UK. The two senior roles are said to be in "complete lockstep" when it comes to not allowing Harry and Meghan to have a "half in, half out" role within the monarchy.
Kate's Role and 'Incredulous' Security Demand
Friends of both William and Kate have said the couple will distance themselves from "the drama" and while they "cannot forgive" the Sussexes for their hurtful accusations against the Firm, they are determined to "look forward to the future". The two royal couples had enjoyed a seemingly close relationship in the early days of Harry's romance with Meghan, even being labelled the Fab Four at one joint public appearance.
However, there has long been a distance between the Prince of Wales and his younger brother. While Harry has seen the King during his previous visits back to the UK, there is not believed to have been any contact between the pair, or any sign the tension between them has eased. Kate had long been seen as the "voice of reason" between the warring brothers, but when Harry and Meghan announced their plans to quit the royal family and the UK, she is said to have had less interest than her husband in persuading them to stay, as she felt their decision was "inevitable".
In a biography, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, Mirror royal editor Russell Myers explains how the Duke of Sussex was "incredulous" when his request for royal protection for Meghan before they married in 2018 was refused. He is said to have felt it was "one rule for him and another for me" after being told Kate was given unofficial palace guidance when she began her relationship with William and was given round-the-clock security as soon as the couple got engaged.
Harry was desperate for action to be taken for his then future wife after she became a target on social media and was furious when he was told any security would not be forthcoming until the couple were married. His father, Charles, also insisted he could not get involved because it was a government decision, despite the assistance given to Kate. Myers also tells how the princess believed Harry would want more than being a "bit-part player" in the monarchy amid his fundamental differences with her husband.
