Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to the United Kingdom alongside their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to temporarily settle in England. The move marks the family's first sustained return to British soil six years after the couple stepped back from official duties within the royal family.
According to reports published by the BBC and the newspaper The Telegraph, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived on a private plane at Birmingham Airport in central England on Wednesday. Their arrival comes after British and American news outlets reported last week that the couple planned to establish a temporary home in the country.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet have been enrolled in a British school for the upcoming academic term. The specific name and location of the educational center have been withheld due to security concerns, though it is understood to be an independent private institution. The couple also brought their two dogs, Mia and Paula, on the flight from North America.
Reconciliation efforts and family visits
The relocation follows a period of gradual rapprochement between Prince Harry and his father, King Charles III. In July, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex held a private meeting with the monarch at Highgrove House, his long-standing country residence located in Gloucestershire in South West England.
As part of their recent contact with Harry's maternal relatives, the couple also visited the estate belonging to Earl Spencer, Prince Harry's uncle. The Spencer family estate contains the burial site of Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in 1997 and is interred on the grounds of her family home.
The 2020 royal departure and California move
Prince Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, married former American actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in 2018. In early 2020, the couple formally stepped back from their roles as working members of the House of Windsor in a decision dubbed Megxit by the press. Seeking financial independence, they subsequently established their primary residence in Montecito, California.
Since their departure from the UK, the couple's relationship with the royal family has been marked by persistent public friction. In a March 2021 broadcast interview with American host Oprah Winfrey, Meghan stated that she experienced discriminatory behavior within the royal household, while both Harry and Meghan detailed deep personal rifts with senior members of the monarchy.
Media projects and legal battles
The couple further outlined their grievances in a six-part Netflix docuseries released in 2022 and in Harry's 2023 memoir, Spare. The autobiography became an international bestseller, offering an explicit account of his upbringing, his relationship with his brother Prince William, and internal tensions within the royal household.
In addition to their broadcast and publishing projects, Prince Harry has pursued several legal actions in London courts against major British newspaper publishers. His lawsuits have centered on allegations of unlawful information gathering, issues surrounding official police protection, and privacy concerns regarding press coverage of his private life.
The arrival of the Sussex family in Birmingham opens a new chapter in their relations with both the British public and the monarchy. Despite their return to England, the couple's underlying relationship with the royal family remains complex, with strict privacy protocols remaining in place around their immediate schedule and daily living arrangements.
