Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left England six years ago, many royal watchers have been asking, “Are they coming back?” Now we know. According to CNN, as of today, they are both back in the country Harry grew up in. If you read past the headline, though, there are some interesting things happening for the Sussexes. Here’s what you need to know about Harry and Meghan’s return. Things aren’t quite what they may seem at first.
What we know about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s move back to the UK
The Duke of Sussex speaking, during a visit to Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) – the primary venue for the 2027 Invictus Games – as part of the One Year to Go celebrations for the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027. Picture date: Friday July 10, 2026. The Sussexes traveled to Britain with their children in July, weeks before the relocation news emerged.
(Aaron Chown / PA Images / Alamy News Live)
People broke the story, reporting that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are relocating to Britain with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, for an extended period beginning this month. They will establish “a private, non-royal home base in Britain while retaining their homes in California and Portugal.” Their home is said to be located outside of London.
Newsweek noted that Archie and Lilibet have been enrolled in school for the British school year. Other details of the schools and their family plans are being kept private right now.
There hasn’t been any announced changes to their royal status, and they remain private individuals and non-working members of the royal family, exactly as agreed when they stepped back in 2020.
Why Archie and Lilibet’s school placements say a lot about the family’s plans
The children are enrolled to begin school in Britain in September, the clearest signal yet of the family’s intentions.
(Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock)
With their children starting a school year in a new country in September, Harry and Meghan are clearly committed through at least next summer. It may be longer if the placement goes well, but nothing has been shared about the length of their stay. School enrollment seems to signal a strong intention to stay for a good stretch of time.
It also reveals that plans were probably in place for some time. British school placements aren’t usually secured overnight. This was likely in motion during the summer, and it might have even been in motion before the family visited King Charles in July.
The ‘half in, half out’ deal Queen Elizabeth turned down in 2020
The couple proposed a hybrid arrangement in 2020. The institution declined, and the Sussexes left for North America.
(Raimonds Kalva LV / Shutterstock)
In January 2020, the Sussexes proposed a hybrid model where they would take on partial royal duties while also enjoying partial independence, and they’d split their time between England and North America. Their offer was turned down. The PBS NewsHour reported Queen Elizabeth’s statement at the time, in which she explained, “Though we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
The refusal is what resulted in what the media called Megxit. There was apparently no middle option offered to them, so they left the United Kingdom and have called the United States home since 2020.
Now look at what they have today. Harry will have a British base from which to support WellChild, Scotty’s Little Soldiers and the Invictus community. Meghan can continue running her lifestyle brand. Neither is required to take on official duties or public funding. According to People, those close to the couple believe they’ve achieved precisely the “half in, half out” model they originally proposed. They simply built it for themselves.
What Harry and Meghan are keeping in America
The Sussexes are keeping their Montecito home along with a property in Portugal.
(Claudine Van Massenhove / Shutterstock)
It seems that “moving back” is an imprecise description of what’s actually happening. Harry and Meghan are keeping their Montecito home and their property in Portugal. Variety reported there are no imminent plans to relocate or disband Archewell Productions, and the same applies to As Ever, Meghan’s consumer brand.
So the family will have a British base without surrendering an American one. The Globe and Mail noted that a source close to the couple confirmed the reporting’s accuracy, and England will now be a third home for the Sussexes, rather than a swap.
King Charles found out days before the announcement
King Charles was informed of the relocation plans on Sunday, according to CNN.
(Lewis Langstaff-Wood / Shutterstock)
According to ABC News, Harry told King Charles about the movie on Sunday, August 16, just a few days before the news broke. CNN reports that Charles welcomes the chance to see more of the Sussex family privately, and that their status as non-working royals hasn’t changed yet. There’s no confirmation that it will.
What happens next for the Sussexes in Britain
The open questions are real. Security remains the pivotal issue that Prince Harry has discussed for years, and a spokesperson for the couple declined to comment on it. It’s not clear whether they will receive funding for security in their move back to England. Also, Harry’s relationship with his brother appears unchanged, so it’s not clear how the Wales family is dealing with the news that Harry will soon be near London.
Reports have surfaced that Meghan Markle may be returning to acting after relocating to London. According to ABC 7, she has been offered a part in a project that’s filming in the. United Kingdom. The Hollywood Reporter revealed that she is in advance discussions to join Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen. There were conflicting reports about whether she’s still in consideration for the role, but BBC Radio 4 called the project a significant factor in the couple’s decision to return to England.
What’s no longer in question is that Harry and Meghan are back in Harry’s home country. The Sussexes spent six years being asked when they’d come back, and now it looks like they are doing it on their own terms and in a way that best suits their family.
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