Harry and Meghan Reportedly Moving Back to UK

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly preparing to move back to the United Kingdom later this month for an extended stay, more than six years after stepping down as working members of the royal family and relocating to California.

According to British media reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to settle in a private, non-royal residence outside London. Their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, have reportedly already enrolled in a British school and are expected to begin classes in September.

The family is expected to maintain its main home in Montecito, California, as well as its vacation property in Portugal. Meghan is also expected to continue running her lifestyle company, As Ever, from the UK, while Harry could devote more time to his charities and other work based in Britain.

The couple has not officially confirmed the reported move. Asked about the reports during an event with US veterans in Washington on Wednesday night, Harry told the Associated Press: “Nothing to say.” Buckingham Palace has a longstanding policy of not commenting on speculation involving non-working members of the royal family, while a representative for Harry and Meghan also declined to comment.

King Charles III was reportedly informed of the couple's plans on Sunday. Harry and Meghan last visited the UK last month.

The reported return comes as Harry has increasingly spoken about wanting to repair his relationship with his family. He has particularly expressed a desire to spend more time with his father, who is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.

Harry previously said he wanted reconciliation with his family after losing a court battle over his security arrangements in Britain. “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” he said, adding, “I don’t know how much longer my father has.”

Harry and Meghan married in 2018, but their relationship with the royal family deteriorated after they stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 and moved to Southern California. They subsequently built commercial careers through major deals with Netflix and Spotify.

The couple has since publicly discussed their difficult experiences within the monarchy in interviews, a Netflix documentary and Harry's memoir, Spare. They said they left Britain to escape the pressures and restrictions of royal life and accused palace officials of being insensitive toward Meghan's mental health.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan also alleged that an unnamed member of the royal family had raised concerns about the potential skin color of her unborn child. The couple's public criticism further deepened tensions with other members of the royal family.

Harry has also remained involved in legal disputes with British media organizations. He has accused tabloid publishers of unlawfully accessing his private information and hacking his phone. He has lost several lawsuits, including a case against the publisher of the Daily Mail, which concluded last month.

The latest legal proceedings have left Harry facing a potential multimillion-pound bill after a court ruled that he and other plaintiffs were liable for the publisher's legal costs. Documents filed by Associated Newspapers put those costs at £34.5 million.

His dispute with the British government over security has also continued. Harry argues that he and his family require armed police protection when visiting the UK because of their status as members of the royal family, even though they are no longer working royals. After losing a court case over the issue last year, he said he hoped the decision would help him rebuild relations with his family.

If the reported move goes ahead, Harry and Meghan would return to Britain while remaining outside the formal structure of the working monarchy, dividing their time between the UK, California and Portugal.