London (CNN) — The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s upcoming return was plastered across UK’s front pages Thursday, as Britons woke to the surprise news that the couple will move back to the country after six years in the United States.
The Sussex family are set to live in a private residence outside London, and both children – Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 – are already enrolled in schools in England.
Prince Harry and Meghan’s surprise homecoming will undoubtedly trigger a frenzy of speculation in Britain where the Windsor clan’s family dramas routinely grip the nation.
Why now?
The move – expected to be mere days away – feels sudden, but the couple will likely have been mulling things over for some time. The final decision may have only been made more recently, but with the British school year starting in early-September, the royals will want to get settled with the children as soon as possible.
It would now seem the catch-up with King Charles and Queen Camilla last month might have been pivotal in the couple’s decision to head back across the Atlantic. The meeting at Highgrove, the monarch’s private country residence in Gloucestershire, England, was a significant moment, marking the first time the 77-year-old monarch has been reunited with his grandchildren in four years.
Meghan and the children joined Harry in the UK at the tail end of his July visit, which centered around engagements for his Invictus Games next year. During their trip, they also visited Althorp House, the ancestral estate of Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, where she is buried.
When asked why they are returning, a source close to the couple would only remark on how much they enjoyed their visit as a family to the UK last month.
What about security?
With details of the family’s imminent relocation emerging, one rather important element was not immediately addressed: their security.
Their taxpayer-funded police protection while visiting the country has been a longstanding bone of contention. In fact, it was why Harry made an 11th-hour decision against bringing his wife and children to his London engagements last month, as initially planned.
Harry, who remains fifth in line to the British throne, has been embroiled in a years-long battle with the UK government after his security was downgraded by its Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) when he and Meghan stepped down from his royal duties.
But so far, the British state has refused to budge.
Last year, Harry told the BBC that he couldn’t “see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.” His remarks came as he lost a challenge against the Home Office in the UK Court of Appeal over his security arrangements. At the end of June, he was still waiting on a review by RAVEC’s Risk Management Board.
It was not immediately clear if they had found a resolution with the Home Office or who would pay for any necessary security on their return. A UK government spokesperson has previously described its protective security system as “rigorous and proportionate.”
Can they fix the royal rift?
Harry and Meghan’s relations with the wider royal family have been strained for many years. The couple left the UK and stepped down as working royals in 2020, setting up a new base in the exclusive Californian coastal community of Montecito as they sought financial independence. The rift widened in the wake of the couple’s explosive sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix docuseries and Harry’s tell-all memoir.
CNN understands King Charles was only told of the move at the weekend, suggesting the surprise relocation was not discussed when Harry met his father a few weeks ago. Regardless, the King is said to welcome the opportunity to see the Sussexes more often.
There has seemed to be a rapprochement between father and son in recent years. Harry quickly dashed home following King Charles’ cancer diagnosis and the pair reportedly speak more frequently these days.
That’s not been the case with his elder brother Prince William, with whom he continues to be estranged. He and wife Catherine have also been informed of Harry and Meghan’s plans. There has been no comment from the Prince or Princess of Wales.
In years since his father’s cancer diagnosis, William has been forced to step up more prominently as heir to the throne. Charles is still receiving treatment but gave a rare update in December when he revealed that he had responded well to treatment.
However, the group – once dubbed “the Fab Four” by the British press – did come together for a joint walkabout in Windsor following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. A year earlier, the brothers unveiled a memorial honoring their mother on what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday. It remains to be seen if the once-close siblings might decide to put aside their differences in the lead up to the 30th anniversary of their mother’s death next year.
Where will they live?
All we know is that it won’t be in the British capital. Beyond that, the exact location of their new home hasn’t been disclosed. The property is likely to reflect their status as members of the royal family and must be secure.
Given the Sussexes’ close ties with his mother’s side of the family, they could opt to stick close to the Spencer estate in Northamptonshire. Another option could be the Cotswolds, an affluent, rural part of the central England countryside. The couple have maintained close contact with some friends in the UK who also have families so they may want to set down roots close to them.
What will they do?
Harry and Meghan will not be returning to their old duties as frontline royals when they head back across the Atlantic. The royal institution has been clear over the years that the Sussexes’ previously suggested “half in, half out” approach is not a workable solution and they will not be picking up any official duties once settled.
However, their move will have many Brits wondering if that could change in the future. After all, the pair’s departure six years ago was seen as a loss to the monarchy with their natural ability to connect with younger generations.
Any work they do undertake will be for their personal charitable projects and other causes they devote much of their time to.
Prince Harry was already set to be in Britain next month for an annual ceremony run by WellChild, a charity that cares for seriously ill children and young people in the UK. Harry will also be looking ahead to the Invictus Games in Birmingham next year. Meghan, meanwhile, has her As Ever lifestyle brand, which she may perhaps want to expand beyond the US.
It’s not yet clear how closely the royal household and the Sussexes will coordinate over engagements to avoid clashes and splitting public attention on the causes that all members of the royal family are keen to promote.
Another aspect for King Charles and Prince William to consider is whether to fold the Sussexes into private family events – such as Easter in Windsor or Christmas at Sandringham. Harry and Meghan may not be working royals but they are still prominent members of the family, while Harry retains his position in the British line of succession.
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