26/08/2026
King Charles May Have ‘Played a Part’ in Harry and Meghan’s U.K. Move, Royal Expert Claims
After Six Years in Exile, Harry and Meghan Are Coming Home
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are packing up their Montecito life and moving back to Britain — bringing Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, with them.
The move ends a six-and-a-half-year chapter that began with the couple's dramatic 2020 exit from royal duties. According to reports, the family will settle into a private, non-royal home outside London by the end of August, and both children are already enrolled in British schools, with term starting in September.
Kept Under Wraps Until the Last Moment
The relocation reportedly caught almost everyone off guard. Even King Charles is said to have learned of the plan only days before it became public — though insiders suggest the King reacted warmly to the news, and may see the move as a rare chance to rebuild bridges with his younger son.
Harry and Meghan have deliberately kept details about the children's new school private, citing security concerns, though it's said to be located near their new home base. Harry previously shut down rumors he'd send Archie to Eton, and the couple has ruled out his own alma mater, Ludgrove, since it's a boarding-only, boys-only school.
Will This Heal the Rift With William?
The bigger question hanging over the move is whether physical proximity will do what years of distance couldn't: bring Harry and his brother, Prince William, back into the same room on good terms.
The two haven't been on speaking terms in years and reportedly avoided each other even at a family funeral in 2024. Royal watchers are split on what happens next. Some suggest Princess Kate could act as a bridge between the brothers, with one insider noting she'd want to see the relationship mended "as any wife would." Others are far more skeptical, with one royal commentator flatly stating that William has "no plans to reconcile" and considers Harry's return a logistical reality he now has to navigate — not an emotional reset.
For now, both sides appear to be treading carefully. Harry's return brings him geographically closer to his family than he's been in years — but whether that translates into an actual reunion with William remains, as one insider put it, "uncertain."
What We Know So Far
Archie (7) and Lilibet (5) are enrolled in UK schools for the September term
The family plans to be settled in their new home by end of August
The location and school are being kept private for security reasons
King Charles was informed only shortly before the news broke
William and Kate were reportedly caught off guard and remain "uneasy" about the move
No confirmed meeting between Harry and William has been announced
The Sussexes previously called Frogmore Cottage home before their move to the US — this time, they're choosing a residence entirely outside royal properties, signaling they want distance from the institution even as they move closer to family.