Prince Harry and Meghan moving back to U.K.

Harry and Meghan Settle on Return to Britain

Wertynews.com – After more than six years living in California, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have decided to relocate back to the United Kingdom. King Charles III received notice of the couple’s decision on Sunday, and neither Harry nor Meghan intends to take up royal duties again, according to BBC News, a partner network of CBS News. Prince William and Princess Catherine were likewise informed of the plan.

Schooling and Family Considerations

The couple now has two children: Archie, born in 2019, and Lilibet, born in 2021. Both are set to begin school in the U.K. this September, BBC News reported. The move appears tied in part to the family’s desire to anchor their children’s education in Britain.

Origins of the Split

The couple’s departure from active royal life dates back to January 2020, when they announced they would step away from “senior” royal roles and pursue financial independence from the family. At the time, they issued a statement explaining their reasoning:

“This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”

Buckingham Palace formally confirmed in February 2021 that Harry and Meghan were no longer working members of the royal family. The pair’s choices to withdraw from their roles and establish a life in California generated significant friction with other royals.

The Oprah Interview and Escalating Tensions

That friction deepened sharply in 2021 when Harry and Meghan sat down for a widely watched interview with Oprah Winfrey. Meghan described behind-the-scenes conversations in which she learned their son Archie would not receive the title of prince and would not be afforded security protection. She also recalled discussions, held while she was pregnant, about “how dark” Archie’s skin color would be. Harry, for his part, told Winfrey he felt “disappointed” with his father, King Charles III, and characterized his relationship with his brother as being “on different paths.”

A Recent Visit and the Security Question

Last month, Harry, Meghan, and their children traveled to the U.K. and met with King Charles for the first time in years. The relocation itself was not on the agenda during that visit, BBC News reported. The trip, however, carried its own controversy: before the journey, BBC News noted that Harry had been weighing whether to bring his wife and children at all, after British authorities turned down his request for taxpayer-funded police protection. The Duke of Sussex had already lost a court challenge in 2024 over the decision to downgrade his security detail whenever he visits Britain following his announcement of stepping away from royal duties.