The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, are planning to relocate from the United States to the United Kingdom later this month, according to reports.
The couple are expected to move into a private, non-royal residence outside London, while their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are set to begin at a British school in September.
King Charles was informed of the couple’s plans on Sunday. However, there are currently no plans for Harry or Meghan to resume their roles as working members of the Royal Family.
The couple’s return is expected to allow the King to spend more time with his son and grandchildren in a private and personal capacity.
Harry and Meghan, who stepped back from their royal duties in early 2020 and moved to California later that year, will continue to remain private individuals following their return.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have also reportedly been informed of the Sussexes’ plans. The planned move comes after Harry and Meghan, together with their children, visited King Charles at his Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire in July.
The meeting was described by the Palace as a private family occasion and marked the first time the King had seen his grandchildren in person in more than four years.
The visit was viewed as a significant development in relations between Harry, Meghan and the wider Royal Family, whose relationship has experienced tensions since the Sussexes stepped away from royal duties.
Harry and Meghan had not visited the UK together since 2022, when they attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Security arrangements remain a major issue surrounding the couple’s return to Britain. Prince Harry has previously expressed concerns about the safety of his family while in the UK. He has also challenged a decision that reduced the level of publicly funded police protection available to him after he ceased to be a working royal and moved to the US.
Also Read: King Charles may remove Prince Andrew’s royal titles
Following news of the couple’s planned return, a Home Office spokesperson said decisions concerning royal security were made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec).
The spokesperson added that the UK’s protective security system remained rigorous and proportionate. Harry’s latest return to Britain in July also included efforts to promote the Invictus Games, which will take place in Birmingham next year.
David Wiseman, chief programmes and strategy officer at the Invictus Games Foundation, welcomed the prospect of Harry being back in the UK ahead of the event.
He described the development as excellent news and said the foundation would benefit from having Harry in the country.
The planned relocation has also raised questions about Harry’s relationship with his brother, Prince William, with the two brothers having had limited contact in recent years.
Former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, Ailsa Anderson, said the Sussexes’ decision had come as a surprise and could raise questions about their relationship with other members of the Royal Family.
She suggested that Harry’s July visit to the UK, including a visit to his late mother Princess Diana’s ancestral home in Northamptonshire, may have influenced his decision to return.
Prince Harry and Meghan’s planned relocation also comes amid continuing tensions between the Duke and sections of the British press.
During his July visit, Harry faced a legal setback in a privacy case involving Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
Harry and other public figures had accused the publisher of using unlawful methods to obtain information for stories, allegations that the company strongly denied.
The couple’s decision to enrol Archie and Lilibet in a British school from September is expected to be one of the biggest practical changes arising from their return.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell welcomed the family’s move and described the children’s enrolment as a positive endorsement of the UK education system.
However, she said it was unlikely that the children would attend a local state school. Despite their return to Britain, Prince Harry and Meghan are not expected to resume official royal duties, meaning they will continue their lives as private members of the Royal Family.
BBC
