Prince Harry and Meghan’s Return to the UK: A Closer Look

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, are moving back to the United Kingdom after years in the United States. Though they plan to live in the UK, they will not take up official roles within the royal family. The British media reported this development on Wednesday.

The couple’s children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are set to begin classes at schools in Britain this September. Reports from the Daily Telegraph, which first reported the story, state that the family intends to reside in a private home outside London, not a royal estate.

In 2017, Harry and Meghan relinquished their royal duties and moved to California. They pursued work with Netflix and Spotify, among other ventures. Since then, their relationship with the royal family has been strained. However, Harry has shown interest in mending ties, hoping to spend more time with his father, King Charles III, who is battling an undisclosed cancer.

King Charles was informed of Harry and Meghan’s plans over the weekend. During their visit to the UK last month, the couple did not mention their intention to relocate. The royal household maintains a policy of not addressing rumors about non-working royal members.

“I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” Harry shared with the BBC.

Harry and Meghan’s rocky relationship with the royal family began when they moved to Montecito, California. In interviews and Harry’s memoir Spare, they detailed their reasons for leaving the UK. They cited constraints of royal life and accused palace officials of neglecting Meghan’s mental health. Additionally, the couple insisted that someone in the royal family had made racist remarks during Meghan’s pregnancy. Meghan identifies as biracial.

Tensions increased as Harry contended with British tabloids over claims of phone hacking and privacy violations. He lost multiple lawsuits, including a recent case against the Daily Mail’s publisher. The case ended with Harry potentially responsible for millions in legal costs after the court ruled he and other plaintiffs must cover the publisher’s fees. Reports indicate Associated Newspapers’ legal expenses reached about 34.5 million pounds ($47 million).

Harry is also involved in a legal dispute with the British government over his family’s security. He seeks armed police protection while in the UK, a request denied by a government committee. Despite losing a legal battle over this issue last year, Harry maintains that his family requires protection due to their royal status.

Recently, Harry returned to the UK for charity events. Meghan and the children joined him for part of the trip, visiting King Charles at Highgrove. This marked the first time Archie and Lilibet saw their grandfather since Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee in 2022. Although Harry has reconnected with his father, his relationship with his brother, Prince William, remains tense.

Peter Hunt, a former BBC royal correspondent, remarked that Prince William might be upset by Harry’s return. “In the short term, Harry will be able to deepen his rapprochement with his father,” Hunt stated. “And his presence back home will make it harder for his brother to duck a reconciliation.”