Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Return to UK After Six Years in US
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have decided to relocate their family from California back to the United Kingdom for an extended stay beginning this autumn, six years after stepping down as senior working royals and moving across the Atlantic, according to reports first published by The Daily Telegraph.
School Enrollments and Residential Plans in Greater London
The couple’s children, seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet, have already been enrolled in UK schools and are scheduled to begin classes in September, as noted by a person close to the Sussexes who is not authorized to speak publicly, reported by Euronews. The family plans to live in a private residence outside the royal circuit in the outskirts of London. Despite the move, the family intends to maintain their residence in Montecito, California, and their vacation property in Portugal.
When questioned about the move by the Associated Press during an encounter with US veterans in Washington, Prince Harry responded with “Nada a dizer,” translating to “Nothing to say.” Buckingham Palace maintains a policy of declining to comment on speculation regarding members of the royal family without official duties, and a representative for Harry and Meghan also declined to make comments on the matter, according to Euronews.
Business Ventures and Ongoing Family Dynamics
Following their departure from royal duties over six years ago, Harry and Meghan have generated income through lucrative contracts with Netflix and Spotify. According to sources cited by Euronews, Meghan will continue to direct her enterprise As Ever from the United Kingdom, while Harry plans to dedicate more time to his charitable work centered in the country.
Relations with the wider royal family have remained strained since the couple relocated to Southern California. In a series of interviews and Harry’s memoir, Spare, the couple stated they left the UK to escape the restrictions of royal life, pointing to a lack of sensitivity regarding Meghan’s mental health from palace officials and alleging that a family member expressed racist concerns during her first pregnancy. However, Harry recently expressed a desire for reconciliation to spend more time with King Charles III, who is currently undergoing undisclosed cancer treatments. King Charles was informed of the couple’s relocation plans on a Sunday, and Harry and Meghan last visited the UK the previous month.
Legal Battles and Security Disputes in British Courts
The return coincides with ongoing legal entanglements in the UK. Prince Harry has been involved in extensive litigation against British tabloids over phone hacking and privacy invasions. Last month concluded a trial against the publisher of the Daily Mail, which left Harry facing multi-million-pound legal costs after a court determined that he and other claimants are responsible for the publisher’s legal fees. Associated Newspapers filed court documents indicating that its legal costs reached 34.5 million pounds (40.2 million euros), as detailed by Euronews.
Additionally, Harry remains engaged in a legal challenge against the British government after a government committee denied police protection for the prince and his family during UK visits. Harry argues that armed police protection is necessary due to security risks stemming from his royal status, regardless of his working royal status. After losing a court challenge regarding security last year, Harry stated an intent to rebuild family ties, remarking, as quoted by Euronews, “Gostava muito de uma reconciliação com a minha família. Já não faz sentido continuar a lutar. Não sei quanto tempo mais o meu pai terá.”