Harry and Meghan reportedly want to spend more time in Europe
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to return to live in the UK after several years living in the United States.
Harry and Meghan are understood to have chosen schools for their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The move follows the family’s visit to the UK in July 2026, which reportedly played a significant role in their decision.
During the visit, Harry, Meghan and their children spent time with King Charles III at Highgrove.
They also spent time with members of Harry’s extended family, including relatives from his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales’ family.
The children reportedly met their aunts, uncles and cousins during the trip.
The family also visited Portugal, where the Sussexes have a home. Their European trip was described to one source as “such a great time”.
The experience appears to have turned earlier discussions about returning to Britain into a firm decision.
The decision has been relatively sudden but it is not understood to have been prompted by problems in the United States.
Instead, Harry and Meghan reportedly want to spend more time in Europe and be closer to Harry’s family.
They are also understood to want their children to receive their education in the UK.
Schools have reportedly been selected for Archie and Lilibet, with most English schools beginning their new terms by the second week of September.
The family is therefore expected to return to Britain within the next 10 days.
Their exact location has not been revealed, although they are not expected to live in London.
The Cotswolds and Northamptonshire have been suggested as possible locations for their new home.
Northamptonshire would also place the family closer to Althorp, the Spencer family’s ancestral estate.
The move would see Harry and Meghan swap their multi-million-dollar California mansion for life in the British countryside.
King Charles was reportedly not involved in the decision and was only informed on Sunday. The news is understood to have surprised both the King and the wider Royal Family.
However, the King is said to welcome the opportunity to spend more private time with his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
The move should not, however, be interpreted as a sign that Harry’s relationship with his brother has been repaired.
There has been no official comment from the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The relationship between Harry and Prince William remains severely strained.
William has reportedly struggled to forgive Harry’s public discussion of the family’s disagreements. That includes Harry’s memoir Spare and his 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The return could therefore create further tension within the Royal Family.
Harry and Meghan are not expected to resume royal duties after moving back to Britain.
They remain private citizens and non-working royals.
There is also no apparent interest from the Royal Household in creating a “half in, half out” arrangement.
Any work undertaken by the couple in Britain will not be connected to official royal duties.
Meghan has been seeking to expand her As Ever lifestyle brand beyond the US. Her return could therefore raise questions about whether the brand will become more widely available in Britain.
It could even place Meghan’s products alongside those associated with King Charles’ Duchy Organic brand.
The couple’s security arrangements are less clear.
The Sussexes currently employ a private security team in the United States. There has been no comment on whether that team will relocate to Britain with them.
There has also been no confirmation about whether Harry will receive official police protection while in the UK.
That issue has been at the centre of his long-running legal dispute with the Home Office.
Harry previously lost a legal challenge over his security arrangements in Britain.
In 2025, he told the BBC:
“I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.”
Despite that previous position, the Sussexes are now preparing to return.
The move is not currently being described as permanent.
Instead, the family is expected to remain in Britain for what has been described as “an extended period of time”.
For now, Britain will be home for Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet.
As with many developments involving the Sussexes, public reaction is likely to remain divided.
The couple continue to attract strong opinions, with views often split between supporters and critics.
