In an unexpected development six years after stepping down as senior working royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing to relocate back to the United Kingdom. According to British press reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to exit their California residence by the end of August to settle into a private, non-royal property located outside of London.
Adding weight to the quiet transition, British news outlets, including the BBC, report that the couple’s two children, 7-year-old Prince Archie and 5-year-old Princess Lilibet, have already been enrolled in a local British school for the upcoming academic year starting in early September. The move marks a dramatic shift for the young family, who have resided in Montecito, California, since 2020. Prior to a brief private visit in early July, the children had not seen their grandfather, King Charles III, since 2022.
The Press Association confirmed that King Charles was officially informed of his son’s plans to return to the UK. The monarch reportedly welcomed the news on a personal level:
“welcomes the opportunity to see more of the family in a personal capacity”
However, officials clarified that the move will not alter their royal standing, maintaining that the couple will remain private citizens without resuming public working royal duties.
The decision comes following a period of complex family dynamics and public scrutiny, compounded by King Charles’s ongoing cancer treatments following his diagnosis two years ago. While previous trips across the Atlantic faced public logistical hurdles—including a denial from Buckingham Palace regarding early accommodation arrangements in London—the upcoming move appears focused on establishing long-term personal roots. Harry, 41, who has long spoken candidly about his desire to protect his family from intrusive paparazzi pressures, now seems focused on providing a stable, grounded upbringing for Archie and Lilibet on British soil.
