LONDON, United Kingdom — Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are planning to relocate from the United States to the United Kingdom later this month, marking a significant change for the couple and their two children after more than six years based in California.
The Sussexes are expected to move into a private, non-royal residence outside London, according to reports.
Their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are expected to begin attending a British school in September.
The move does not signal a return to royal duties. Harry and Meghan are expected to continue living as private individuals, with no current plans for either to resume official roles as working members of the Royal Family.
King Charles informed of Sussexes’ plans
King Charles III was informed about the planned relocation on Sunday.
The BBC reported that the King had not previously been aware of the couple’s plans, although he is understood to welcome the prospect of spending more time with Harry, Meghan and their children in a private family capacity.
The development comes only weeks after the Sussexes visited the King at his private residence at Highgrove in Gloucestershire.
The July meeting was described by Buckingham Palace as a “private family occasion” and represented a notable moment in the relationship between Harry and his father following years of tension.
It was also the first time the King had seen Archie and Lilibet in person in more than four years.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have also reportedly been informed about the Sussexes’ plans.
Sussexes left UK royal life in 2020
Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals in early 2020 before moving to California in March of that year.
Their departure, often referred to as “Megxit”, was followed by a prolonged period of tension between the Sussexes and other members of the Royal Family.
The couple subsequently established a new life in the United States, where they pursued commercial projects, charitable initiatives and media ventures.
Their return to Britain would therefore represent a major shift in their family arrangements, although their official status is not expected to change.
Harry remains sixth in line to the British throne, while both he and Meghan retain their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Security remains a major issue
Security has been one of the most contentious issues surrounding Harry’s relationship with the UK since he ceased being a working royal.
The Duke has previously said concerns over his family’s safety have made him reluctant to bring Meghan and their children to Britain.
Harry lost a legal challenge last year after seeking to overturn a decision that reduced the level of publicly funded security protection available to him and his family following his departure from royal duties.
Following reports of the planned move, a Home Office spokesperson said decisions concerning royal security are made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as Ravec.
The spokesperson said the UK’s protective security system remained “rigorous and proportionate”.
The security question could therefore remain significant as Harry, Meghan and their children establish themselves in Britain.
Harry’s Invictus Games role
Harry’s return would also bring him closer to one of his most important charitable projects.
The Duke founded the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.
The next Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Birmingham in 2027.
Harry promoted the event during his July visit to Britain.
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 Birmingham Games.
“I will be really pleased to have him back in the country,” Wiseman said, adding that moving would be stressful for any family and expressing hope that the children would settle well at their new school.
A possible new chapter for the royal family
Harry and Meghan’s return would come against the backdrop of gradual signs of renewed contact between the Sussexes and the Royal Family.
Their July meeting with King Charles was viewed as an important step after a prolonged period of strained relations.
Harry and Meghan had not travelled to the UK together since 2022, when they attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The latest move could give Harry greater opportunities to maintain a relationship with his father and allow Archie and Lilibet to spend more time with members of the wider Royal Family.
However, the relocation is not expected to alter the couple’s constitutional or official position.
They will remain private individuals and are not expected to resume working royal duties.
Press tensions remain unresolved
The Sussexes’ return also comes amid Harry’s continuing disputes with sections of the British media.
During his July visit, Harry suffered a High Court defeat in a privacy case involving Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
Harry and several other high-profile individuals had accused the newspaper group of using unlawful methods to obtain information for stories. Associated Newspapers strongly denied the allegations.
Harry has repeatedly criticised press intrusion into his relationship with Meghan.
During the court proceedings in January, he said the media group had made his wife’s life “an absolute misery”.
The couple’s planned relocation is consequently likely to attract intense public and media attention.
