Prince Harry has returned to the UK with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet. Six years after quitting both the UK and their roles as senior working royals, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the decision to return to Harry's home country.
Despite their move, King Charles and Prince William are said to be in "complete agreement" that Harry cannot have a 'half in, half out' role within the monarchy and the duke will not be returning to royal duties.
Financial Independence and New Life
At the time of their departure in 2020, Harry and Meghan said they wanted to become financially independent as they started a new life in Montecito, California. During their time in the US, the royal couple embarked on a number of high-profile interviews about their time as working royals, as well as taking part in their own Netflix series, Finding Freedom. Prince Harry also made a number of allegations about his royal relatives in his memoir, Spare.
Since their return, Meghan and Harry have been busy. Harry attended the WellChild Awards, where he gave an emotional speech on stage. It is a charity and event close to the duke's heart and he returned for it every year he lived in America.
Family Life Back in Britain
Meghan has also met up with fellow US ex-pat, Ellen DeGeneres, in a country pub, and the duchess has shared a snapshot of the family's life now they are back on British soil in an adorable social media post. In it, the Sussexes can be seen going for walks in the woods, jumping in puddles, Harry is fishing on a pond with his children and Lilibet is riding her bike while Archie runs along behind her.
The two children have now started at their second school since their return to the UK in August. Harry and Meghan's security team raised concerns about the journey to and from the couple's first choice.
Security Concerns and Paparazzi Incident
Earlier this week, the family faced a further security scare when two international paparazzi were seen looking into the grounds of their children's school. Two young men carrying backpacks are understood to have been seen by both private security and school staff walking the perimeter.
A spokesman for Harry and Meghan, who moved back to the UK last month, called the actions "an extraordinary lack of judgment" in the wake of the suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford, with a number of American children with families connected to the base said to attend the school.
He said: "The decision by photographers to conduct themselves in this way around a school is extraordinarily reckless.
"There is a world of difference between legitimate media activity and photographers walking the perimeter of a school, stopping to look into the grounds and monitoring children as they go about their day. It is concerning enough that certain European paparazzi appear unwilling to respect the privacy of children at school.
"But to behave in this manner in these particular circumstances, and so soon after the incident at RAF Fairford, demonstrates an extraordinary lack of judgment.
"Whatever photographs they may have been seeking, this was not only an unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of children; it was an irresponsible and ill-considered way to conduct themselves in the vicinity of a school."
Security Battle Continues
The prince has long been fearful for his family's security and has even taken the British government to court twice over the decision to strip him of taxpayer-funded security when he stepped down as a working royal. He was handed new hope of getting the government to foot the estimated £5 million a year bill for his security when the Home Office confirmed it would carry out a new review into the threat against him and wife Meghan, following the family's return to the UK.
Home Office sources say Harry has been in constant contact with the department in recent months, describing his correspondence as "incessant". The duke has appealed to the British government several times to change its position, claiming he is still a target for terrorists and fixated persons when in the UK.
The Duke of Sussex's fears stretch back to before his marriage to Meghan in 2018. Mirror royal editor, Russell Myers, revealed how the duke had fought for extra security for his fiancee in his book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story. Myers reveals how the Duke of Sussex was "incredulous" when his request for royal protection for Meghan before their wedding in 2018 was denied.
He is reported to have felt it was "one rule for him and another for me" after learning that Catherine had received unofficial palace guidance when she began her relationship with William and was afforded round-the-clock security as soon as the couple became engaged.
Harry was desperately seeking action to safeguard his then future wife after she became a target on social media, and was left furious upon being informed that no security measures would be put in place until after the couple had married. His father, Charles, said that he was unable to intervene as it was a government decision, notwithstanding the help previously extended to Kate.
