Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have been considering their return to the UK for months before telling King Charles that their plans were effectively a done deal. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing to relocate to Britain with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, with the youngsters expected to start school in the UK in September.
The timing of the announcement has raised questions over why the King appeared to learn of the plans so close to the family's expected move.
Prior knowledge suggested
However, HELLO!'s Royal Editor Emily Nash suggested the situation may have been less sudden than it appeared. Speaking on A Right Royal Podcast, Nash said she believed it was unlikely that Harry and Meghan had not previously discussed the possibility of returning with the King.
She explained that Charles may have been aware they were considering a move, but that the couple only presented the decision as final on Sunday. This would mean the King had some prior knowledge of their plans, even though the wider royal family and public were only informed later.
School deadline and royal status
The timing was also significant because Archie and Lilibet are due to start school within weeks, meaning decisions about their education and where the family would live had to be made relatively quickly.
The Sussexes' return is not expected to change their position within the monarchy. Harry and Meghan will remain private individuals and non-working royals, in line with the arrangements made after they stepped down from royal duties in 2020. They have not been offered a "half-in, half-out" role within the Royal Family.
William informed beforehand
Prince William is also understood to have known about the move before it became public. Nash said the Prince and Princess of Wales were made aware beforehand and therefore did not find out about the decision at the same time as the wider public. William was reportedly with his father when news of the move broke, according to The Times.
The development comes after Harry, Meghan and their children visited King Charles at Highgrove in July. That meeting was the first time the King had seen his grandchildren in person in several years and was followed by renewed speculation about the family's future relationship with the Royal Family.
Private family decision
Despite the move, the Sussexes are not expected to resume royal duties. Instead, the return is being presented as a private family decision, with Harry and Meghan seeking to give their children a stronger connection to the UK.
The King is said to welcome the opportunity to spend more time with Harry, Meghan and their children in a private capacity. While the couple's plans may have appeared to come as a surprise, the latest account suggests discussions had been taking place behind the scenes for some time, with the final decision only being presented to the King shortly before the move was made public.
