Prince Harry, Meghan to move back to UK after six years in US

Prince Harry and Meghan are preparing for an extended stay in Britain with Archie and Lilibet. The move would shift the family back from California without reviving royal duties.

In Short

• Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior royals and moved in 2020
• The couple will stay in Britain without resuming official royal duties
• Their children are expected to begin school in the UK in September

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are preparing to move back to Britain with their two children, six years after stepping down as working members of the royal family and relocating to the United States, according to media reports.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to leave their California home for an extended stay in Britain, with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, due to start school there in September, People magazine and The Telegraph reported.

A source close to the couple confirmed the reports, while neither Harry's spokesperson nor Buckingham Palace offered an immediate comment.

NO RETURN TO ROYAL DUTIES

Despite the move, Harry and Meghan are not expected to resume official royal duties. The couple will also not live in a royal residence, according to The Telegraph.

Their status will remain that of non-working royals, in line with the arrangement agreed with the late Queen Elizabeth II when they stepped back from royal duties in 2020.

Harry and Meghan married at Windsor Castle in May 2018 in a ceremony that attracted global attention. Their marriage was initially viewed as a potential new chapter for the monarchy, particularly given Meghan's background as a former actress and her mixed-race heritage.

But tensions between the couple and other members of the royal family grew rapidly.

FROM ROYAL EXIT TO CALIFORNIA LIFE

In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced that they would step away from their roles as senior working royals. They subsequently moved to California, settling in the affluent Montecito area near Santa Barbara.

The couple purchased a large home there, with reports at the time putting its price at around $14.7 million.

Their departure was followed by a series of public revelations about their relationship with the royal family. In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan spoke about her struggles within the institution and alleged that a member of the royal family had made a comment about the likely skin colour of her and Harry's future child.

Harry also said his father, now King Charles, had stopped taking his calls.

The couple later expanded on their experiences in a Netflix documentary, while Harry's 2023 memoir, “Spare”, contained further criticism of the royal family.

HARRY'S RIFT WITH WILLIAM

Harry's relationship with his elder brother, Prince William, has suffered particularly badly.

In “Spare”, Harry described a 2019 confrontation with William during which he said his brother knocked him to the floor during an argument involving Meghan. He also detailed disagreements over William's attitude towards his wife.

Harry's strained relationship with his father has also been a recurring issue.

However, relations between Harry and Charles have shown signs of improvement in recent months. The two met in Britain last year after a lengthy period without a substantive meeting.

Harry has also repeatedly expressed concern over his security arrangements when visiting Britain.

SECURITY DISPUTE

After stepping down as a working royal, Harry lost the automatic police protection he had previously received in Britain. He challenged the decision in court, arguing that the change left him and his family vulnerable.

In May 2025, Harry lost his appeal against the security arrangements.

After the ruling, he said he wanted to reconcile with his family and expressed concern about his father's health. He also said the security dispute had contributed to the breakdown in communication between them.

RECENT FAMILY VISIT

Harry, Meghan and their children visited Britain last month, allowing King Charles to see Archie and Lilibet for the first time since 2022.

The planned move would mark a significant change for the Sussex family after years in California, although it would not represent a return to royal duties.

According to reports, the children are expected to begin school in Britain in September. Harry and Meghan, meanwhile, will remain non-working royals and are not expected to resume official engagements on behalf of the monarchy.

- Ends
With inputs from Reuters