The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to return to Britain, a move that political commentator David Williamson argues will be a boost for the country. Writing for the Daily Mirror, Williamson described the relocation as a "Royal comeback" that will captivate an international audience.
A dramatic plot twist
Williamson compared the Sussexes' move to a long-running American television drama relocating to England, noting the 1998 episode of Friends that featured the Duchess of York. He wrote: "The Sussexes' abandonment of California in favour of Britain is a drama-ripe plot twist worthy of a Hollywood screenwriter."
Questions surrounding the move include whether Harry, Meghan and their children will spend Christmas at Sandringham with the rest of the royals, and where Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, will attend school.
Publicity and purpose
Williamson noted that while the pair are not working royals, they want to champion causes that require publicity. He wrote: "In the United States, Harry and Meghan are one celebrity couple among very many and the novelty of having them in California will have faded over the last six years. But in Britain, for better or for worse, Harry will be the focus of enduring fascination all his life."
The commentator added that if Harry wants to celebrate veterans or raise money for a favoured cause, he can assemble a phalanx of photographers in nanoseconds. Williamson suggested the move could boost the nation's tourist revenues, with royalophiles from across the globe descending on British pubs in the hope of finding the Sussexes.
Education and reconciliation
Williamson pointed out that the family could have stayed in Montecito, where tuition fees at schools like Crane Country Day School are more than $40,000 a year. He described the decision to enrol Archie and Lilibet in a UK classroom as a "vote of confidence" in the country's education options.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said many people choose to come back to the UK because of the "great schools". Williamson speculated that nothing would burnish the Sussexes' egalitarian credentials more than putting their children into the state system.
Powell also spoke for millions of Britons when she said she hopes this is "all part of a bigger reconciliation for the family". Williamson concluded: "The Royal Family are unusual for their fame, their constitutional position and their access to castles. But there is nothing unusual about family rifts, especially in the wake of trauma and stress. This is a chance for a true fresh start and people across this country will wish them nothing but the best."
