World / Royals | By Web Desk
LONDON — Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are planning to move back to Britain with their two children later this month, marking their most significant shift since stepping away from royal duties and relocating to the United States six years ago, according to multiple reports Wednesday.
Harry and Meghan are expected to return with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, for an extended period. Their children have reportedly been enrolled in British schools and are expected to begin classes in September. The family’s exact residence and the children’s schools have not been disclosed, with those details being kept private for security reasons.
The move, however, does not represent a return to royal duties. Harry and Meghan will remain non-working members of the Royal Family and are expected to establish a private, non-royal home base in Britain.
California Is Not Being Abandoned Completely
The reported move is more nuanced than a complete departure from the United States.
Harry and Meghan are expected to retain their Montecito, California home, as well as their property in Portugal, while making Britain a more substantial base for the family.
That distinction matters. The Sussexes are not reversing the 2020 decision that ended their lives as working royals. Instead, they appear to be restructuring their private family life across Britain and the United States.
King Charles Was Informed
King Charles III was reportedly informed of the couple’s decision before it became public. Reports say the King welcomes the possibility of seeing Harry, Meghan and his grandchildren more frequently in a private family capacity.
The development follows signs of a thaw between Harry and his father.
Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet reportedly met the King during a family visit to Britain in July. The latest decision could therefore give Charles considerably more opportunities to maintain a relationship with his grandchildren.
Harry has also previously spoken publicly about wanting reconciliation with his family after years of strained relations following his royal departure, interviews and the publication of his memoir Spare.
There is far less evidence, however, of a comparable reconciliation between Harry and his elder brother, Prince William.
Security Remains a Major Question
One unresolved issue surrounding the move is security.
Harry has spent years challenging changes to his police protection arrangements in Britain following his departure from working royal life. He lost a major legal challenge over those arrangements in 2025.
The latest reports have not established whether the family’s increased presence in Britain will result in different taxpayer-funded security arrangements.
That question could become particularly important if Archie and Lilibet attend school in Britain on a long-term basis.
The Changer Angle: This Is a Family Return, Not a Royal Comeback
The headline — Harry and Meghan are moving back to Britain — could easily create the impression that the Sussexes are reversing “Megxit.”
They aren’t.
The more significant change is that Britain could once again become part of the family’s ordinary life rather than somewhere Harry visits for court cases, charities or major royal events.
Archie and Lilibet beginning school in Britain would deepen that connection considerably.
At the same time, keeping their California home preserves the independent life Harry and Meghan created after leaving royal duties.
That makes this less a return to the old Royal Family structure and more an attempt to build something that appeared almost impossible after the bitter fallout of 2020:
a private Sussex family life in Britain without becoming working royals again.
Whether that arrangement also produces a lasting reconciliation with King Charles — and eventually Prince William — could become the much bigger royal story.