What that means for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s relationship, at least right now, is unclear. “Harry’s been talking about spending more time in the U.K., possibly having a second home base there,” a source tells Star, adding that he’s considered “returning for good.” Meghan, reports the source, has had to face a dawning reality that’s left her “shocked” that her husband “would even consider moving back to Britain after everything they’ve been through and how much work they’ve done to rebuild their lives in America.” It seems, says the source, “they want different things.”

Fears For Their Future

That doesn’t bode well for their marriage. The 41-year-old prince “can be quite stubborn. Meghan isn’t one to back down either,” says the source. “If this disagreement can’t be resolved, people around them fear it could lead to some explosive fights and maybe even divorce.”

The dynamics of the once-united team who did nearly everything together have changed, especially over the last year as they’ve moved forward on what’s been described as “twin tracks.” Harry’s been focused on his philanthropic initiatives, frequently traveling outside the States to highlight his work. Meanwhile, the former Suits actress has returned to Hollywood, launching a cooking and entertaining show, With Love, Meghan, and a new lifestyle brand, As Ever, with Netflix as a partner this year.

It’s become a push-pull situation, explains royal biographer Tom Bower. Following Harry’s U.K. trip, the author of Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors told told GB News, it’s clear Harry and Meghan want different things — though both depend on their royal connections. “When he comes [to Britain], he becomes a focus of attention,” Bower said of Harry’s quasi-royal tours. “But of course, he is ‘spare’ to Meghan, or was, in her attempt to become the great television homemaker” back home. “Very cleverly, Harry has separated himself from Meghan, as she did from him, but she still needs him,” explained Bower. After all, there would be no With Love, Meghan if viewers weren’t curious to catch a glimpse into her royal-adjacent life. “And so,” says Bower, “you’ve got this couple in Montecito, desperately looking for a new purpose in life.”

Sucked Back In

Still, making amends with the royal family is a work in progress for Harry. Meeting with Charles “galvanized” him, says the source, especially after the rogue royal won praise in the very press that he and Meghan allege hounded them out of Britain. “To hear even his worst critics say he made a gesture of goodwill toward his father has been encouraging,” says the source. “It gives him hope that perhaps he will be welcomed back into the royal fold.”

Harry, who remains estranged from older brother William, 43, hardly hid his hopes for the future in the Sept. 14 Guardian interview, saying he “enjoyed the week” he spent in Britain. “I have always loved the U.K., and I always will love the U.K.,” he insisted. “It’s been good to reconnect with the causes I am passionate about. I have been able to spend some time with people that I have known for so long. It is hard to do it from far away.” Another unexpected boon came as U.K. reports , including in the traditionally anti-Sussex Daily Mail, described Harry’s outings, which drew swarms of supporters, to William’s thinner schedule, “as if what his brother was doing seemed inadequate,” notes the source. “For once, Harry came out smelling like the rose.”

Huge Shift

So much has changed in just a few months. In May, after losing his yearslong legal appeal against a 2020 government decision stripping him, Meghan and their kids of automatic police protection when they visit Britain, Harry lamented in a headline-making sit-down with BBC News that Archie and Lili might never be able to safely return to the country where they are sixth and seventh in line to the throne. “I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point,” he said, explaining that fears of violence — he’s received credible threats from Al Qaeda and neo-Nazi groups — are too great a gamble. “I think that it’s really quite sad that I won’t be able to show my children my homeland.”

But in September, asked if he wants to spend more time there and bring his children, he told The Guardian, “Yes I would,” admitting, “This week has definitely brought that closer.” In the year ahead, Harry said, “the focus really has to be on my dad.”

At A Crossroads

This, says the source, “is what Meghan feared would happen.” The California native hasn’t been back to Britain since Queen Elizabeth II’s 2022 funeral and has no desire to return, says the source. She fawned over Harry in recent social media posts — upon his return, she shared a photo of two wine glasses being filled with her As Ever rosé, captioned, “When your beau is back in town,” followed by a sexy pic of her husband in uniform with the message, “Oh hi, Birthday Boy” alongside a fire emoji for his Sept. 15 birthday. But the source says she’s “upset” and doesn’t want Harry taking their kids to England “where they aren’t safe.” In the U.S., says the source, “they have a sheltered life, good schools, friends, protection. Meghan has already put her foot down to going back to a family that treated her so abominably.”

Clearly they are at an historic crossroads — one of the first American-born royals continues to fight moving back to her husband’s homeland. “No one is denying Harry and Meghan love each other, but they don’t see eye to eye,” says the source. “She’s all for Harry making up with his family so long as they keep their life in California and raise their children here. But she wants the royals to stay away from her and her children.”

Whether this meeting marks the beginning of a true reconciliation remains to be seen, but for Harry and Charles, royal insiders say the priority is “privacy and dignity” — and keeping the door open for future dialogue.

Did Prince Harry quietly share his plans to move the family back to England?

His comments come amid speculation he may want to bring Duchess Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet home.

Harry, who has been a patron of WellChild for 17 years, also spoke about the joy and perspective he gains from charity work. “I personally get so much out of helping other people and certainly that’s what I’ll be teaching my kids,” he told HELLO!. Reflecting on parenthood, he added: “Once you become a parent yourself, everything changes… I am so grateful to have healthy kids.”

With his words and actions in London, Harry has fueled fresh speculation that a U.K. return could be on the horizon — one that would place Archie and Lilibet closer to the royal family, and perhaps help mend old divides.

Prince Harry could be taking kids to visit England for first time as he hints at successful family reconciliation

After being apart for 19 months, Prince Harry recently reconnected in person with his father, King Charles. The occasion was a private meeting (“a tea”) in the U.K. during Harry’s visit. Following that reunion, Harry has publicly stated that the “focus really has to be on my dad” over the coming year.

Harry has also expressed desire to bring his children—Prince Archie (6) and Princess Lilibet (4)—to the U.K. someday, a reversal (or softening) from what he had said earlier, when concerns (including security) had made him reluctant. He said the recent reunion made the possibility of such a visit “closer.”

Family reconciliation can be one of the hardest journeys and one I am personally familiar with. It often involves mistrust, misunderstandings, long silences, and hurt—sometimes over many years. The recent developments in Prince Harry’s relationship with King Charles offer a living example of what reconciliation might look like: what makes it possible, what complications remain, and what might help similar situations heal.

What this teaches us about reconciliation

From these events, I can draw several insights into how reconciliation might be possible in difficult family situations. Some of these lessons are specific to Harry’s high-profile life, but many apply to myself and can also be universal. Here are some tips to remember if you find yourslef on this journey:

1. Presence matters: Physical meetings—or at least direct, intentional engagement—can shift things in ways that letters or phone calls often can’t. The meeting between father and son, after a long period of distance, appears to have reopened possibilities that felt remote.

2. Time & patience are key: Reconciliation seldom happens overnight. It often follows a long stretch of silence, reflection, or conflict. I am still in the process of reconnecting with cousins I used to share a bed with, 15 years later. The fact that there had been many months without contact for Prince Harry and King Charles—and that it took time for communication channels to reopen—is part of what makes small steps (like a private meeting) so meaningful.

3. Truth & accountability must precede reconciliation: In the recent interviews, Harry has emphasized that reconciliation isn’t about glossing over disagreements, but about allowing truth and accountability—understanding what went wrong, owning up to it, and being willing to change.

4. Focus on the relationship, not just fixing past wrongs: Rather than trying to “win” or assign blame, Harry seems to be moving toward building a forward relationship with his father—spending more time, bringing children into the picture, reconnecting with causes and people in the U.K.

5. Small acts can be big bridges: A private tea, renewing involvement in charities, public statements of intention—all these are small steps. They might seem modest, but they build trust, show sincerity, and create momentum.

6. Barriers remain—and they don’t disappear automatically: Security concerns remain serious for Harry. Visiting the U.K. with his family involves risk and logistical challenges.
   Past actions—such as public disclosures and strained relations—create lingering mistrust. These things don’t evaporate just because people want them to.

7. Desire and willingness matter: Reconciliation requires a genuine wish from both (or all) parties to rebuild. Harry’s expressions of wanting the focus to be on his father, wanting his children to visit, wanting conversations to continue—these reveal a willingness to repair, which is essential.

    

What’s still to be done (and what might help)

Reconciliation is a process, not a destination. Based on what’s emerged so far between Harry and his father, and drawing from general experience, here are what I see as the next steps (or ongoing challenges) plus things that often help:

• Trust Building: Even with a meeting, rebuilding trust takes repeated, consistent actions over time. Past hurts, especially when public, don’t just fade with one apology or one gesture.

• Communication Gaps: Misunderstandings often persist. Sometimes family members don’t share the same perspective on what happened, and that can stall progress.

• External Pressures: Public opinion, media narratives, expectations can pressure people into doing things before they’re ready, or in ways that aren’t authentic or healthy.

• Safety / Practical Concerns: Especially when family reconciliation involves physical distance, safety-secured visits, or logistical/hurdles, those have to be addressed carefully.

Final thoughts

Prince Harry’s recent moves—meeting with King Charles after a long period of separation, opening up about wanting his children to visit the U.K., declaring that the focus going forward should be on relationship with his father—aren’t just media soundbites. They reflect real, concrete steps toward reconciliation. They illustrate how hard it is, but also how even one meeting, one expression of desire, can change the trajectory.