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As Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan prepare to embark on a new chapter in the U.K., they first said goodbye to the community they have made in California over the past six years.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the couple, their children\u2014Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5\u2014and their dogs, Pula and Mia, reportedly arrived in the U.K.<\/a>, where they are expected to live for an extended period<\/a> for the first time since the Sussexes stepped down as senior members of the royal family in 2020.<\/p>\n Prior to their arrival, the family spent their last weekend in Montecito\u2014the southern California coastal enclave where they have lived since 2020\u2014surrounded by close friends and family. A source for People<\/a> said that these included the children\u2019s friends and Meghan\u2019s mother, Doria Ragland.<\/p>\n \u201cThey wanted to spend time with the people they\u2019re closest to before they left and for the kids to have some special time with friends,\u201d the source told the outlet. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a goodbye forever. It was much more, \u2018We\u2019ll be back, but this is what we\u2019re doing right now.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The farewell was apparently an emotional one. \u201cThey\u2019ve been planning this for some time, and they feel it\u2019s the right thing for their family, but that doesn\u2019t mean leaving was easy,\u201d the source said. \u201cMeghan really loves their life in Montecito and their home there. They know it\u2019s going to take a little bit of time for everyone to settle in and adjust. There\u2019s excitement about what\u2019s ahead too, especially for the kids. They\u2019re really happy for them and for everything they\u2019ll get to experience.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to their new English home, the couple is expected to keep their Montecito estate as well as a vacation property in Portugal.<\/p>\n