Schools have already been selected for Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle set to move back to UK
Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle are preparing to leave their California life behind and return to Britain later this month — and friends of the couple have revealed the real motivation behind the unexpected shift. According to BBC Senior Royal correspondent Daniela Relph, the decision is not rooted in any difficulties with life in the United States. Instead, it stems from a clear personal priority.
Ms Relph claimed: “I am told that this move is not due to any problems in the US. It has been driven by the couple’s desire to spend time in Europe, nearer Harry’s family and wanting to educate their children in the UK.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are returning to the UK (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
The family trip that sealed the deal
A recent visit to Europe proved decisive. The trip, which included time in Portugal — where the Sussexes have a home — allowed Archie and Lilibet to meet aunts, uncles and cousins.
Ms Relph said the experience “was described to me as ‘such a great time’ for the family. It turned a possible move back to the UK into a firm decision.”
Schools have already been selected for Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five. With the new academic year beginning for virtually all English schools by the second week of September, the family is expected to be back in Britain within the next 10 days to settle in.
Prince Harry’s rift with brother Prince William has yet to be healed (Image: Getty)
Countryside, not London
The exact address remains private, but the couple will not be based in the capital. Ms Relph noted they are “likely instead to be swapping a multi-million-pound mansion in California for a slightly chillier prospect in the UK countryside.”
Rumours centre on the Cotswolds or the Northampton area, close to the Spencer family estate at Althorp.
King Charles was informed of the plans on Sunday. He welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private capacity. The Prince and Princess of Wales have also been told.
There are no current plans for Harry or Meghan to resume roles as working royals; they will remain private individuals.
An extended stay, not a permanent return
Is this a forever move? Not according to those close to the couple.
Ms Relph reported: “Not at the moment but they are expecting to be in the UK for what has been described to me as ‘an extended period of time’.”
For a couple long defined by dramatic exits and carefully timed revelations, the latest chapter — as framed by their own circle — appears driven by something far simpler: family proximity and a British education for their children.