LONDON — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are preparing to return to Britain with their two children for an extended stay, six years after the couple stepped back from royal duties and relocated to California, according to Reuters and other British media reports.
The couple’s children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are expected to attend school in Britain beginning in September. A person close to the Sussexes told The Associated Press that the children have been enrolled at British schools, although details of their education and the family’s new residence have not been made public.
Harry and Meghan are expected to establish their home outside London and will remain private citizens rather than return as working members of the Royal Family. They are not expected to move into a royal residence or resume official royal duties. ITV News separately reported that there would be no change in their status as non-working members of the Royal Family.
The move represents a significant change for the couple, who left Britain in 2020 after announcing that they would step back as senior working royals. They subsequently moved to the United States, eventually settling in Montecito, California, where they pursued commercial and charitable projects.
Their return comes after years of strained relations with the Royal Family. Harry’s relationship with his older brother, Prince William, remains difficult, but relations between Harry and his father, King Charles III, have reportedly improved. Reuters reported that the King and the Sussexes have maintained contact, including a recent family meeting.
The decision also follows Harry’s repeated concerns over security in Britain. The prince has previously argued that he and his family face heightened security risks in the country and has challenged arrangements for police protection following his withdrawal from official royal duties.
Harry’s security concerns were among the issues that complicated his return visits to Britain after moving to the United States. In 2020, the British government ended his automatic entitlement to taxpayer-funded police protection after he ceased to be a working royal. Reuters reported in July that Harry had continued to express concern about bringing his children to Britain because of safety and privacy issues.
The children’s return to Britain is particularly notable because Archie and Lilibet have spent most of their lives in the United States. Their previous visit to Britain was several years ago, and Harry has spoken about wanting his children to know more about the country where he grew up.
The move is also expected to bring renewed attention from the British media. Harry and Meghan have had a highly contentious relationship with sections of the British press, which the couple has repeatedly blamed for intrusive coverage and pressure surrounding their lives as working royals.
Harry and Meghan have also publicly discussed their experiences within the Royal Family and the British media in interviews, documentaries and Harry’s 2023 memoir, “Spare.” Those revelations deepened tensions within the family and generated extensive international attention.
Reuters reported Thursday that their return could place the couple back in the intense media environment they sought to leave when they relocated to California. British media and royal commentators are already closely watching how the family will manage renewed public attention while maintaining their status outside the working Royal Family.
Despite the controversies surrounding their departure, the return could provide Harry and Meghan with an opportunity to strengthen their children’s connection to Britain and their extended family. It could also test the progress made in Harry’s relationship with King Charles while leaving his strained relationship with Prince William unresolved.
The couple’s return does not signal a restoration of their former royal roles. Instead, Harry and Meghan are expected to continue their independent lives and projects while raising their children in Britain, marking a new and closely watched chapter in their relationship with the Royal Family.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
