PRINCE Harry and his wife Meghan are reportedly preparing to return to Britain with their two children for an extended period, six years after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from royal duties and moved to the United States.
The couple are expected to relocate from California to Britain in August, with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, due to begin school there in September, according to People magazine and The Telegraph.
Neither Harry’s spokesperson nor Buckingham Palace commented on the reports, although a source close to the couple confirmed their accuracy.
The Telegraph reported that the Duke and Duchess would not resume royal duties or take up residence in a royal property.
Their constitutional position is also expected to remain unchanged, with Harry and Meghan continuing as non-working royals under the arrangement reached with the late Queen Elizabeth II when they formally stepped back from royal life in March 2020.
Harry married former actress Meghan Markle in a lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle in 2018, in a union initially seen as offering the centuries-old monarchy a more modern and diverse image.
However, tensions between the Sussexes and other members of the Royal Family soon emerged.
In March 2020, the couple stepped down from official duties and moved to the United States, eventually settling in the affluent coastal enclave of Montecito, near Santa Barbara, California.
In the years that followed, Harry and Meghan repeatedly levelled criticism at the Royal Family and the institution of the monarchy through television interviews, a Netflix documentary series and, most notably, Harry’s memoir, Spare.
Harry directed some of his strongest criticism at his father, King Charles III, and his elder brother, Prince William, the heir to the throne, contributing to a near-total breakdown in their relationship.
The Duke has also expressed anger over changes to his security arrangements in Britain, arguing that the absence of automatic police protection made it impossible for him to bring his children to the country safely.
However, relations between Harry and the King have appeared to improve in recent months.
The two reportedly met briefly in September for the first time in 20 months, while Harry, Meghan and their children visited Britain in July, allowing King Charles to see his grandchildren for the first time since 2022.
Reports said the King welcomed the prospect of spending more time with the Sussex family, although he was only made aware of their plans to return to Britain on Aug 16.
While Harry’s relationship with his father appears to have thawed, his ties with Prince William remain deeply strained, with the brothers reportedly still barely on speaking terms.
The reported move would nevertheless mark the most significant return to Britain by the Sussex family since their departure from frontline royal life, potentially placing renewed attention on the couple’s relationship with King Charles and the wider Royal Family — even as Harry and Meghan remain outside its working ranks. - August 20, 2026
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