Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Reportedly Planning to Move Back to the UK

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to be settling into a private, non-royal residence outside London by the end of the month, with Archie and Lilibet enrolling at a new school. King Charles reportedly learned of the plans just days ago.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly moving back to the UK in the coming weeks, more than six years after they stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 and relocated to the United States.

According to multiple outlets, the family plans to relocate from the U.S. later this month to a private, non-royal residence believed to be located outside London. Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, the couple's children, are enrolled to begin at a British school in September.

At this time, there are no official plans for the couple to resume their roles within the royal family. Still, the move has sparked speculation about whether they might do so down the line. According to the Telegraph, King Charles was informed of the move on Sunday, August 16.

It's understood that the topic did not come up during his meeting with Harry and Meghan, along with their children, at Highgrove last month. He was said to be genuinely pleased at the prospect of seeing more of his family on a regular basis, both privately and personally.

However, the King has made clear that the Duke and Duchess's status as non-working royals and private individuals, consistent with their previously stated wishes, will remain unchanged. The Prince and Princess of Wales have also been made aware of the move.

The move marks the first time Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, will have a home base in Britain since they gave up 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 release of Harry's candid 2023 memoir, "Spare."

The Duke and Duchess's security arrangements have not been disclosed, and there has been no announcement of any changes to them.

Prince Harry has previously stated that he would not feel safe bringing his family back to the UK without police protection, something he has fought for over several years. The British state has so far firmly declined to provide him with police support.

Even so, this move is the clearest sign yet that Harry believes his family's long-running security concerns have eased enough for him to feel comfortable basing Meghan and their children in Britain once more.

The couple will keep their home in Montecito, California, as well as their vacation property in Portugal, while the Duchess continues to run her lifestyle brand As Ever from their new UK base.

Additionally, Harry will be able to spend more time with his UK-based charities, including WellChild and Scotty's Little Soldiers. Sources suggested the UK would serve as their primary home for an extended stretch, though it has not yet been decided whether the move will become permanent.

The exact locations of the home and school have not been made public for privacy reasons. The decision comes more than six years after the couple stepped back from royal duties and moved abroad in search of financial independence, agreeing at the time not to use their HRH titles.

In a statement released in 2021, following a 12-month review of their situation, Queen Elizabeth II confirmed that the couple would not "continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service."

She had made clear that they could not maintain a "half-in, half-out" approach to royal duties while also pursuing commercial opportunities. The Duke and Duchess responded by saying: "We can all live a life of service. Service is universal."