Prince Harry and Meghan move back to Britain, set up private base

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are planning to move back to the United Kingdom after living in the United States, according to reports in The Independent and the BBC. The couple will set up a private, non-royal residence outside London while maintaining their homes in Montecito, California and Portugal. The exact site has not been disclosed, though rumours point to the Cotswolds or the Northampton area near Althorp. The move does not signal a return to official royal duties, as confirmed by the Winnipeg Free Press and The Times of India.

The timing aligns with King Charles III’s ongoing cancer treatment, which was announced in February 2024. As noted by the Winnipeg Free Press, the King will now be able to spend more time with his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Media additions

Chronology of the rift and the thaw

Harry and Meghan’s public break with senior royal duties began in January 2020, a step labelled “Megxit” by the British press. The Independent records that the couple announced they would step back, become financially independent, and split their time between Britain and North America. Queen Elizabeth II issued a statement acknowledging the decision, noting that while the family would have preferred them to remain full-time working members, they respected and understood the wish to live a more independent life, as reported by USA TODAY.

Following the announcement, the pair moved first to Canada and then to Montecito, California, where they built a commercial brand that included Netflix and Spotify contracts. Their March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey featured Meghan’s allegation that a royal family member raised concerns about their son’s skin colour and Harry’s claim that King Charles no longer answered his calls. Buckingham Palace responded that the allegations were “concerning” and that “some recollections may vary.”

In December 2022, the Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan” revisited the couple’s narrative, and in January 2023, Harry’s memoir “Spare” recounted a physical altercation with Prince William in 2019 and expressed anger toward his father and step-mother. USA TODAY notes that the book intensified the sibling feud, a sentiment echoed by the BBC, which reports that Prince William remains “unlikely to welcome” the Sussexes’ return.

Security has been a constant flashpoint. After stepping down, Harry’s police protection was downgraded, prompting a series of legal challenges. A 2025 appeal dismissed his claim that the decision was “unlawful and unfair,” and a 2025 court hearing reaffirmed the “sensible” nature of the security reduction, according to the Winnipeg Free Press. The BBC reports that Harry told the network in 2025 that he could not envision bringing his family back to the UK under those conditions.

Even as legal battles continued, family milestones occurred. The Sussexes attended the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022, travelled to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022, and Harry sat at King Charles’s coronation in May 2023, though without Meghan or the children. After the coronation, Harry met his father at Clarence House in September 2023, a face-to-face meeting described by the BBC and USA TODAY as a possible first step toward reconciliation.

2026: A summer reunion and the decision to relocate

July 2026 marked the first joint trip to Britain since the queen’s funeral. The family were welcomed at Buckingham Palace on 10 July, then gathered at Highgrove House, where the children met aunts, uncles, and cousins. The BBC says the visit was described by a source as “such a great time” for the family, and that “the move is not due to any problems in the US.” Rather, the Sussexes wanted to be “nearer Harry’s family” and to educate Archie and Lilibet in the UK.

USA TODAY and The Independent confirm that schools have been chosen for the children, with new terms beginning by the second week of September. The BBC adds that the Sussexes are expected to be back in the UK within ten days.

King Charles was reportedly told on a Sunday that the couple would be moving back, and he is said to welcome the chance to spend more time with his grandchildren in a private capacity. However, the BBC stresses that “the King was not involved in the decision made by his son and daughter-in-law.”

The sibling dynamic remains strained. The BBC notes that “the relationship remains broken with no clear sign of any reconciliation,” and that Prince William has never forgiven the public airing of the family fallout. The Independent adds that William “has never been able to forgive” the memoir and interview revelations.

What to watch next

• School enrolment for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet is set to start in the second week of September, according to the BBC and The Independent.
• The unresolved security dispute may surface in future discussions, especially given Harry's previous legal challenges with the Home Office.
• Media speculation continues about the location of the private residence in the Cotswolds or the Northampton area near Althorp, though the couple have not confirmed an exact address.