That issue of what remains private would become even more important later.

Netflix and Spare reopened the wounds

In December 2022, the Sussexes released their Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan.

The six-part series revisited their experiences within the monarchy and Harry’s relationship with the British press.

Harry also gave his version of the crisis meetings surrounding their royal departure and accused different royal households of leaking and planting stories.

Then came Spare.

Harry’s memoir, published in January 2023, contained some of the most intimate allegations about his family yet.

Among them was Harry’s claim that an argument with William at Nottingham Cottage in 2019 became physical.

Harry alleged that William grabbed him by the collar and knocked him to the floor during a confrontation about Meghan, leaving him injured.

The Duke also described long-running tensions involving King Charles and Queen Camilla and gave an unflattering account of some of the courtiers working around senior members of the family.

For those hoping Harry and William might reconcile, Spare demonstrated just how deep their disagreements had become.

But Harry later revealed that there were things he deliberately chose not to publish.

He said there were incidents involving William, and to some extent Charles, which he did not want the public to know because he believed his family would never forgive him if he revealed them.

King Charles’ cancer diagnosis created an opportunity for reconciliation

A significant shift came in February 2024 when Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.

Harry rapidly flew from California to Britain to see his father.

The meeting was brief, but it showed that the relationship between father and son had not completely collapsed.

There remained another major obstacle to Harry bringing his family back to Britain: security.

After leaving his role as a working royal, Harry no longer automatically received the same level of taxpayer-funded police protection when visiting the UK.

He launched legal proceedings over the arrangements, arguing that he did not feel able to bring Meghan and their children safely to Britain without adequate protection.

In May 2025, Harry lost an appeal challenging the way his UK security was decided.

After the ruling, the Duke said he was ‘devastated’ and told the BBC that he could not see a situation in which he would bring Meghan and their children back to the UK at that point.

But in the same interview he made another significant statement.

Harry said he would ‘love reconciliation’ with his family and argued there was no point continuing to fight.

Just over a year later, the situation looks remarkably different.

Archie and Lilibet finally reunited with King Charles

In July 2026, another important breakthrough took place.

Harry and Meghan took Archie and Lilibet to Highgrove to see King Charles and Queen Camilla.

It was the King’s first in-person meeting with his California-based grandchildren in four years.

The reunion took place privately, away from cameras, and was widely interpreted as a possible sign of a thaw between Harry and his father.

There was no comparable reunion with William.

That distinction remains important.

Harry’s relationship with Charles appears to have improved while his rift with William remains unresolved.

The Sussexes’ decision to spend significantly more time in Britain could therefore create more opportunities for Harry, Meghan and their children to build a private relationship with the King – without requiring Harry to immediately repair every fractured royal relationship.

Their return has received support too

It is also important to note that not everyone sees Harry and Meghan’s decision to return as an embarrassment, defeat or reversal of everything they said when they left.

King Charles is understood to welcome the opportunity to spend more time with his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren in a private capacity.

ITV News reported that there would be no change to Harry and Meghan’s status as non-working royals but that Charles welcomed having the Sussex family closer to him.

Sources close to the couple have also offered a very different interpretation of their motivations from some of the more critical commentary surrounding the move.

People reported that Harry had ‘never really stopped missing home’ and that the Sussexes want Archie and Lilibet to develop stronger connections with their British heritage.

The couple will retain ties to California, and the move is not a return to the royal system they left in 2020.

Meghan’s circumstances are also markedly different now.

Sources told People that the Duchess is returning with her own professional projects, support system and greater autonomy, rather than returning as a senior working member of the monarchy.

It means Meghan can live in Britain while continuing the independent career and family life she and Harry created after their royal departure.

The move has received political support as well.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell publicly welcomed the news and said she hoped it would form part of a wider reconciliation within the Royal Family.

Powell told LBC: “I for one think it’s great to have Harry and Meghan and their family back here.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also wished the couple well in their move while declining to comment on the private details of their security arrangements.

So there are two very different ways of viewing the Sussexes’ homecoming.

For supporters, it is an opportunity for Harry to reconnect with the country he grew up in, give his children closer ties to their British family and potentially rebuild his relationship with Charles.

For critics, however, the fact that Harry and Meghan have returned six years after their dramatic departure has opened them up to accusations that their comeback has not played out quite as they intended.

And three separate developments in recent days have put the old royal tensions back under the spotlight.

First blow: Commentator says return isn’t the ‘power move’ they thought

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield has questioned suggestions that Meghan feels increasingly confident about her return to Britain and is now able to live in the UK on her own terms.

Appearing on News24 with Rita Panahi, Schofield argued that the Sussexes had previously overestimated their leverage.

Her reasoning was simple: six years after Harry and Meghan left Britain for North America, they are now the ones who have decided to come back.

Schofield said: “I’m not sure that’s the power move they think it is.”

The commentator also strongly criticized reports that Harry remains angry with members of the Royal Family and believes he is owed an apology.

Her comments are, of course, an opinion rather than evidence of Harry and Meghan’s private intentions.

The Sussexes themselves have not publicly characterized their move as a ‘power move,’ while reporting from People and ITV presents family, professional and cultural reasons for their decision to spend more time in Britain.

Still, Schofield’s reaction demonstrates the hostile commentary the couple continue to face following their return.

A self-selecting Daily Express reader poll also found overwhelming support among respondents for Harry to apologize to the Royal Family rather than receive an apology himself.

Of 8,382 votes recorded by the outlet, 8,065 backed the idea that Harry should apologize.

Self-selecting means people choose for themselves whether to take part, rather than being selected by someone else or at random.

The main pitfall is self-selection bias, as those who participate may differ from those who do not. People with particularly strong opinions, for example, may be more likely to respond, which can skew the findings.

Because this was a voluntary poll of Express readers, the result should therefore not be treated as representative of the British population as a whole.

Second blow: Harry warned he may never get the apology he reportedly wants

Perhaps more significant for Harry’s attempted reconciliation are reports that he still feels he is owed an apology over the events surrounding his royal exit.

The Daily Mail recently reported that friends who had spoken with Harry following his return were surprised to find that he remained angry with some members of his family and frustrated with the courtiers surrounding his father.

The claim comes from unnamed friends and has not been publicly confirmed by Harry.

But if Harry does still expect an apology as part of any reconciliation, royal biographer Robert Hardman believes he could be disappointed.

During a discussion with Camilla Tominey, Hardman was asked whether Charles, Camilla, William and Kate had any incentive to apologize.

He said he did not think apologies would be forthcoming.

Hardman acknowledged that Harry and Meghan’s return appeared to create an opportunity for ‘some sort of rapprochement,’ particularly between Harry and Charles.

He was considerably less optimistic about William.

The royal author argued that any attempt to rebuild relationships would be made much harder if Harry simultaneously wanted to reopen disputes from years ago.

That leaves an important question hanging over Harry’s reconciliation hopes.

If the reports are accurate, does Harry view an apology as a necessary part of repairing those relationships, or could father and son ultimately decide to move forward without fully resolving every disagreement that led them here?

Third blow: Disputed Meghan claim risks reigniting row over royal privacy

The final issue goes directly to something that has repeatedly complicated the Sussexes’ relationship with the Royal Family: privacy and trust.

Lifestyle star Martha Stewart recently discussed attending the same California dinner party as Meghan following the Sussex family’s European trip.

That trip had included the extremely private Highgrove reunion between Harry, Meghan, Archie, Lilibet, Charles and Camilla.

Stewart claimed Meghan had recently returned ‘from the palace’ and suggested that the Duchess was discussing her European trip.

Given the sensitivity surrounding Harry’s attempts to rebuild his relationship with his father, the remarks rapidly attracted attention.

There is, however, an extremely important part of the story: Stewart’s account is disputed.

A source who said they hosted the dinner and sat next to Meghan told People that the suggestion was ‘simply untrue.’

According to that account, Meghan did not discuss details of the royal reunion and said only that the family had enjoyed their European trip.

Stewart also acknowledged that she did not speak to Meghan at length herself.

PR expert Olivia Bennett subsequently told the Daily Express that it would therefore be wrong to state as fact that Meghan had been gossiping about the Royal Family.

However, she argued that if Stewart’s version were accurate, even apparently harmless discussion of a private royal reunion could potentially make Harry’s attempts to rebuild trust more complicated.

Bennett said discretion would inevitably matter when a family relationship was being repaired following years of highly public fallout.

And after Oprah, Netflix, Spare and countless headlines about relations behind palace doors, it isn’t difficult to understand why privacy surrounding new meetings with Charles could be particularly sensitive.

But the distinction is crucial: there is currently no established evidence that Meghan revealed private details of the Highgrove reunion at the dinner.

The allegation remains disputed.

Harry and Meghan’s UK return is more complicated than a royal comeback

Six years after Harry and Meghan left Britain, their return was always going to trigger strong reactions.

But describing it simply as a defeat for the Sussexes ignores how much their circumstances have changed.

They have not asked to resume their previous positions as senior working royals.

Meghan is returning with an independent career and her own projects, while Harry can maintain his charitable work and reconnect with the country where he spent most of his life.

Most significantly, Archie and Lilibet will have greater opportunities to develop relationships with the British side of their family.

The King’s reported willingness to spend more time with the Sussexes also means there is at least a genuine opportunity for Harry and his father to continue the reconciliation that appears to have begun.

At the same time, six years of public disagreements cannot simply be erased by moving countries.

Harry’s reported desire for an apology, his ongoing estrangement from William and renewed questions about trust demonstrate how fragile that process could be.

The three latest controversies don’t necessarily mean Harry and Meghan’s return has already gone wrong.

Instead, they show how closely every decision the Sussexes make will be scrutinized as they attempt something that once seemed almost impossible.

Building a new life in Britain without returning to their old royal one.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Make Shocking Move Back to the U.K. with Kids Archie and Lilibet (Exclusive)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are moving back to Britain with their children, who will begin school there this fall, marking the family’s biggest decision since stepping away from royal duties six years ago

NEED TO KNOW

PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving to Britain with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet
The Sussexes will establish a private, non-royal home base in Britain while retaining their homes in California and Portugal
While Harry will not return to official royal duties, the move signals a major new chapter for the family after six years in California
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to Britain in the biggest shift to their family life since stepping away from royal duties in 2020, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are relocating with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, to the U.K. for an extended period beginning this month, PEOPLE understands, with the children set to begin school there in September.

The couple will maintain their home in Montecito, California, and their vacation property in Portugal while establishing a private, non-royal home base in Britain. The location of the family’s new home and the children’s school are being closely guarded.

The move gives Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, their first home base in Britain since they relinquished the lease on Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor residence gifted to them by the late Queen Elizabeth in 2023. King Charles, 77, asked them to vacate the property following the publication of Harry’s raw 2023 memoir, Spare.

King Charles was made aware of the couple’s plans on Sunday, August 16, PEOPLE understands, and welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity.

The move comes just weeks after Harry and Meghan returned to the U.K. with Archie and Lilibet for a successful summer visit that included the children’s first reunion with their grandfather in more than four years.

Charles is said to have been clear there will be no change to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s status as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family, in keeping with the wishes they expressed and the agreement reached when they stepped back from royal duties.

Those close to the Sussexes believe they have successfully executed the “half in, half out” model Harry and Meghan proposed to the royal family in 2019. With a base in Britain, Harry will be able to spend more time with charities including Scotty’s Little Soldiers and WellChild, as well as the Invictus community, while Meghan continues leading her lifestyle company, As Ever, and pursuing future projects.

Allies say the couple have built the independent life they envisioned — championing the causes most important to them while supporting themselves financially, paying their own bills and mortgage, and relying on no taxpayer funding.

The move is also the clearest sign yet that Harry believes his family’s long-running security concerns have reached a point where he feels comfortable basing Meghan and their children in Britain once again. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to comment on the matter of security.

While the family’s longer-term residential plans remain unclear, PEOPLE understands Meghan will continue leading As Ever from the couple’s international bases, while Harry will be able to spend significantly more time supporting U.K.-based charities and patronages.

Even before plans for the family’s return emerged, Harry was expected in Britain in September for engagements tied to WellChild — the children’s charity he has supported for more than two decades — as well as events connected to the Invictus Games. Among the marquee events is the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards and gala, though those close to the Sussexes are not confirming whether Harry and Meghan plan to attend.

Security has long been an obstacle for the couple. After he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties, the pair lost their taxpayer-funded police protection, prompting Harry to wage a years-long legal battle over the decision.

He has continued pressing the issue, arguing that the government’s Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) should conduct a fresh risk assessment — something he says has not happened in more than six years. Against that backdrop, the family’s decision to establish a U.K. base marks a significant turning point.

The Sussexes left Britain in 2020 amid an increasingly and publicly strained relationship with the royal family — particularly Harry’s brother, Prince William, 44. Tensions deepened following the couple’s stunning interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries and, finally, Harry’s memoir, Spare.

While the couple appeared to have an idyllic life in Montecito, they have made no secret of their disillusionment with the current White House. With the midterm elections fast approaching, concerns about the direction of the U.S. loom large for many.

There has been public tension between the Sussexes and Trump in the past. When President Donald Trump said in January 2026 that NATO allies “stayed a little back” from the frontlines during the war in Afghanistan, Harry — a combat vet from the Afghanistan War — issued a blunt statement: “I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there.” (For his part, Trump said of Meghan in May, “Boy, what she’s done to that guy [Harry],” in remarks to royal biographer Robert Hardman.)

Those close to Harry believe his recent visit to Britain reflects his conviction that the more the public interacts with Meghan, the more they appreciate her. During his visit to Birmingham, where he carried out charity engagements and promoted the Invictus Games, Harry was heartened by the public interest in his wife.

Looking back, Harry may have hinted at the family’s plans more than a year ago. At the WellChild Awards in September 2025, singer Joss Stone — who had recently moved her family back to Britain after spending years living in Nashville, Tennessee — recalled that Harry was especially interested in her decision.

“He asked about how we were settling back in and was genuinely interested in our move home. He’s just very warm and down to earth, as always. Maybe Harry will move back too. That would be nice,” Stone told Hello!.

Stone said Harry was particularly curious about what the move meant for her children.

“He was saying how wonderful the schools are here and how important community is for children,” she recalled. “It was nice to share that with him because it’s exactly why we felt drawn to come back — for the kids to grow up surrounded by family, friends and a strong sense of belonging and, most importantly, in a safe environment.”

While Harry has been gradually repairing his relationship with King Charles, the same cannot be said of his bond with William. Despite recent speculation that tensions between the brothers may have eased, PEOPLE understands the relationship remains as it has for years — distant, with “no contact.”

“I thought it would have perhaps eased a little bit by now, to be honest. But there has been no movement, especially on William’s side,” a close source told PEOPLE in July.

Still, Harry told the BBC in 2025 that he hoped to heal the rift: “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.”

As for a U.K. support network, Harry has a large group of longtime friends there, while Meghan has her own circle, including college friend Lindsay Jill Roth, who divides her time between London and Chicago with her husband and their two young sons. The Sussexes also remain close to Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, who split their time between Britain and Portugal — where both families now have homes and where Eugenie welcomed the couple’s third child, a daughter, earlier this summer.

Harry has long been determined to reach a point where he, Meghan and their children could come and go from Britain without the recurring questions over where they would stay. Insiders have described the speculation surrounding his accommodations and security as a “circus.” With the family now securing their own private U.K. residence, that uncertainty appears to have been removed.

The family’s last visit to the U.K. began against a backdrop of questions over whether he believed it was safe enough for Meghan and their children to join him.

But after several days of charity engagements, Meghan and the children flew in from Portugal for the family’s secret reunion with King Charles at Highgrove House — the children’s first meeting with their grandfather in more than four years.

The family then traveled to Althorp House, where Princess Diana spent much of her childhood and is buried, and where Harry’s uncle Charles Spencer and his wife, Cat Jarman, now live. There, Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet spent time with members of the wider Spencer family and are believed to have paid their respects at Diana’s gravesite on the island in the Oval Lake.

The Sussexes also spent several days traveling around Britain before Meghan shared a series of idyllic vacation photos featuring lakeside scenery, beaches and swimming pools — images that, in hindsight, offered an early glimpse of the family’s next chapter.