Harry and Meghan latest: William will be ‘furious’ at Sussexes’ return to UK, former royal butler says

Prince Harry and Meghan to move back to the UK later this monthYour support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.Read more

Prince William will be “furious” over the Sussexes’ return to the UK after years of public criticism from his brother, the King’s former royal butler said.

Grant Harrold, who previously worked closely with Prince William and Prince Harry, said it would be difficult for the Duke of Sussex to regain his brother’s trust.

He told The Independent: “William will be furious. Harry has said some extraordinary things about the family. William is somebody that when you break trust and you go beyond a certain point, there’s no going back.

“Before, William would have said ‘he’s 5,000/6,000 miles away and it’s not my problem, he’s in another country’. But now he’s suddenly back on the doorstep. I just don’t think he’s going to be happy about the situation at all.”

Meanwhile, Harry and six other prominent public figures have been ordered to pay £9.5 million in an initial payment to the publisher of the Daily Mail after accusing them of unlawful information gathering.

It was revealed on Wednesday that Prince Harry and Meghan were returning to the UK after six years across the pond to make their home in a non-royal residence outside London.

King Charles and Prince William are understood to be holding a summit at Balmoral to discuss their return, according to The Daily Mail.

Claimant in Daily Mail publisher battle ‘disappointed’ by decision

One of the claimants that has been ordered to pay £9.5 million along with Prince Harry and other celebrities said he was disappointed by today’s ruling.

Former MP Sir Simon Hughes added that he was “surprised” by the decision not to limit the publisher’s recoverable costs.

He said: “I am now taking the time necessary to consider both the substantive and the costs judgment and whether to pursue appeals against decisions in either judgment or both.”

Explaining why no costs cap was imposed in the ruling, the judge said: “The Court held that it did not have the detailed evidence that would be required fairly to decide what an appropriate ceiling should be.”

Harriette Boucher21 August 2026 15:45

Comment: Please keep Meghan away from British television

A decade after she left US legal drama ‘Suits’, the Duchess of Sussex is said to be returning to acting, with a role that requires her to relocate to the UK. Forget ‘Casualty’ and ‘EastEnders’ – Kat Brown hopes she will swap the small-screen for something even more challenging, such as the West End stage…

Please keep Meghan away from British television

A decade after she left US legal drama ‘Suits’, the Duchess of Sussex is said to be returning to acting, with a role that requires her to relocate to the UK. Forget ‘Casualty’ and ‘EastEnders’ – Kat Brown hopes she will swap the small-screen for something even more challenging, such as the West End stage…

Harriette Boucher21 August 2026 15:12

Daily Mail publisher hails ‘another overwhelming victory’

Associated Newspapers Limited has responded to Friday’s ruling, calling it “another overwhelming victory for the Mail and its journalism”.

Prince Harry and six others have been ordered to pay £9.5 million in an initial payment to the publisher.

A spokesperson said: “His judgment is a devastating critique of an attempt to destroy a newspaper and the reputations of its journalists, editors and executives.

“From well before the trial started, the claimants’ lawyers knew that their main witness had denied making the preposterous allegations on which the claims were based.

“Despite this collapse in evidence to support the extremely serious allegations of ‘abhorrent criminal activity, crimes and terrible and reprehensible covert acts’ by the Mail, they were emblazoned in a lurid press release issued on behalf of Baroness Lawrence, Prince Harry and the other claimants, with the exception of Sir Simon Hughes. The allegations were not withdrawn, and were pursued until the bitter end of the trial.”

Harriette Boucher21 August 2026 14:45

Prince Harry and celebrities ordered to pay £9.5m to Daily Mail publisher after losing High Court battle

Prince Harry and six other prominent public figures have been ordered to pay £9.5 million in an initial payment to the publisher of the Daily Mail after accusing them of unlawful information gathering.

The sum is the first payment the Duke of Sussex and his fellow complainants will be forced to pay to Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), which spent £34m defending the claims before they were comprehensively dismissed in July.

High Court judge Mr Justice Nicklin ruled the royal and other high profile figures, including Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Sir Elton John, to make the initial payment and said the rest of the costs will be decided at a future hearing.

The claimants had alleged ANL carried out or commissioned unlawful activities such as landline tapping, hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars or “blagging” private records.

ANL strongly denied the claims in a high-profile 45-day High Court trial, where Harry and the other celebrity claimants gave evidence.

Amy-Clare Martin 21 August 2026 14:11

Breaking: Prince Harry and six others to pay interim £9.5M in failed Daily Mail case

Prince Harry and six other claimants have been ordered to pay an initial £9.5M to the publisher of the Daily Mail after accusing them of unlawful information gathering.

Harriette Boucher21 August 2026 14:10

Exclusive: ‘Daddy’s boy’ Prince Harry was always going to return to UK but William will be furious, former royal butler says

Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Grant Harrold said Harry was a “daddy’s boy” in his youth and it was only a matter of time before he returned to rebuild his relationship with his father after the rift caused when he and Meghan dramatically quit royal life six years ago.

But he cautioned that the Duchess of Sussex would likely struggle with her return to the UK, and suggested her husband could have given her “an ultimatum” on coming back to Britain.

And he warned that Prince William would likely be “furious” with his brother’s return after their public fallout, following Harry’s barrage of accusations against him, Kate, the King and Queen Camilla in his memoir, Spare.

Mr Harrold, who worked closely with William and Harry until 2011, said: “Harry was always going to return to the UK to be near his father. When you have a loved one going through different things to do with health and all sorts of other things, it makes you wonder if he [Harry] just wants to be closer.

Lucy Leeson21 August 2026 13:50

Harry and Meghan’s UK return a ‘great endorsement’ of education system, says Labour ministerHarry and Meghan’s UK return a ‘great endorsement’ of education system, says Labour minister

Harriette Boucher21 August 2026 13:35

The real reason Harry and Meghan are leaving Hollywood for Britain isn’t the one you’re being told

Many believe the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to the UK because their entertainment careers have stalled. But former People editor and founder of the Celebrity Intelligence website, Dan Wakeford, explains why that doesn’t add up – and reveals the much more emotional reason behind their decision:

Harriette Boucher21 August 2026 13:10

Meghan’s acting role ‘came out of the blue’ – report

The Duchess of Sussex‘s acting role “came out of the blue”, according to reports.

Earlier, Australian site news.com.au reported that Meghan Markle had been offered an upcoming acting project in the UK, and suggested it was one of the reasons the couple decided to return to Britain

Royal and entertainment correspondent Bronte Coy, who broke the story, told Sky News that the news came “out of the blue” and was a “surprise”.

She said: “I learnt this from entertainment sources that Meghan has been offered, obviously a significant enough role that it’s something that’s got her very excited about moving back to Britain, a place honestly I think most of us and probably herself for a while, thought she’d never really return to in a permanent capacity.”

Ms Coy added that Harry was “very excited” to return, telling the broadcaster: “I’ve long been told he’d really like to have his children around that wider family network.”

The duchess was formerly an actress, known for her role as Rachel Zane in legal show Suits.

Harriette Boucher21 August 2026 12:20

Harriette Boucher21 August 2026 12:18