Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Return to Britain
Harry and Meghan have returned to Britain with their children but do not intend to take on royal duties again.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have moved back to the United Kingdom more than six years after relocating across the Atlantic. According to media reports, the couple arrived in the country with their children on a private jet from California.
«The Sussex family has arrived in England,» Prince Harry said on his social media.
Archie is now seven, and his sister Lilibet is five. Next week both children are expected to begin classes at a prestigious English school. The move will therefore affect not only the family«s address but also the children»s familiar routine, having grown up in the US in recent years.
The Sussexes« plane landed in Birmingham. A source said King Charles III, Prince William and Kate had been informed of the family»s plans in advance. Harry and Meghan, it seems, decided at least this time not to surprise their relatives with a move.
Yet the couple«s representatives are not yet inclined to discuss the return publicly. Asked by journalists for comment, the duke and duchess»s team replied briefly:
«It is not something we would like to comment on».
Returning home does not mean Harry will resume the official work customary for the monarchy. Meghan also does not plan to take part in palace life. The couple intend to remain members of the royal family by status, but they do not intend to attend protocol events or carry out the corresponding duties.
The couple«s new home is expected to be the Cotswolds. The area lies outside London and relatively close to the royal residence of Highgrove House. The place is not new to Harry and Meghan: after their 2018 wedding they had already rented a house there.
The return to the UK may also prove useful for Markle«s career. Back on 20 August, reports emerged that after the move she could return to acting. Variety reported an offer for the duchess to take part in a project to be filmed in the UK. A version of possible cooperation between Meghan and Guy Ritchie is also being discussed.
The story of the current move began back in 2020. At the time, Harry, then sixth in line to the British throne, and Meghan announced they no longer wished to remain senior working members of the royal family. At the same time, the couple decided to become financially independent.
Buckingham Palace later confirmed their withdrawal from official duties. The Sussexes« public funding also ended. Meghan first left with little Archie for Canada, and by the end of March 2020 the family had moved to California.
Incidentally, the first signs of a thaw in relations appeared back in early July. At the time, Harry and Meghan met with Charles III for the first time in four years.
