Meghan and Harry just gave away what they’re up to – Charles and William will be furious . hyn

At first blush, the end of the Sussexes’ California dream is good news for the warring Royal Family.

But their relocation – a pilot project described as an “open-ended experiment” – will be sure to infuriate King Charles and, notably, Prince William.

Harry and Meghan’s decision to uproot and return to Britain with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet on August 26 has been framed as a chance to reconstitute broken relationships.

But their vicious criticism of the UK, not to mention the Royal Family, has raised questions as to their motives.

Intriguingly, and to the frustration of Charles and William, there is no suggestion it is​ in any way permanent.

In short, it presents another problem for the Royal Family which has found a bad penny, or in this case two, always ​seems to turn up.

Charles, who is still being treated for an undisclosed type of cancer, will be miffed because it continues the never-ending and sorry saga of his wayward youngest son’s position within the family.

But one suspects William will be seething as his sibling – for whom there is no love lost – is back on home soil and preparing to steal the limelight.

All told it presents a new conundrum much closer to home as opposed to what it was before – an inconvenience, albeit overseas, out of sight and out of mind.

Guess who’s back? The return of Harry and Meghan presents a new problem for Charles and William (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Get the latest news and gossip from the Royal Family plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Harry’s return to Britain presents a new problem for Charles (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Publicly, at least, the dynamic of this dysfunctional family changes very little.

Charles has a constitutional duty to perform and his steadfastly loyal wife will always put him first.

But they undoubtedly want a relationship with their grandchildren, of whom they have seen very little since Harry and Meghan flounced off to the West Coast in 2020.

Charles and Camilla hosted Harry, Meghan and their children at Highgrove House on July 10 but that meeting was, apparently, unknown to William and Kate.

It all points to a new difficulty with Charles, who let us not forget continues to have the putrid and fetid stench of his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor​ and his alleged misdemeanours hanging over him.

And all the while he seemingly appears out of step with William in how to tackle the Harry problem.

There has not ​been a Damascene conversion – on either side. While Charles is thought to be more sanguine about the potential to repair relationships William, understandably perhaps, is likely much more pessimistic.

Foremost in his mind will be the prospect – worry – of Harry worming his way back into favour and returning to the duties he abandoned so quickly before upping sticks six years ago.

William and Kate may not be so happy to see Harry and Meghan back in the UK (Image: Getty)

A source claimed Harry and Meghan’s return is being approached as an “open-ended experiment rather than a permanent homecoming”.

They added: “They want to properly immerse themselves in life in Britain and see how it works for them as a family before making any long-term decisions. They aren’t putting themselves under pressure to decide now whether this is where they will spend the next five or 10 years.

“There are so many variables involved – how Archie and Lilibet settle into school, whether Harry and Meghan enjoy being back in the UK, how their relationships with the wider family develop, and what professional opportunities emerge. Any one of those things could influence what happens next.

“They could discover after six months that Britain simply isn’t working for them and decide it is time for another change. Equally, they could be here a year or considerably longer. The important thing is that they now have the freedom to make those decisions for themselves.

“There is no fixed exit date and, at this stage, even Harry and Meghan genuinely couldn’t tell you where they will ultimately end up.”

So, while the couple decide what to do next during this latest scoping exercise, the agony is prolonged.

Ultimately, for the Royal Family, it means the soap opera continues – just a lot closer to home.

And for Charles and William especially, one can’t help the feeling that the sooner a decision is made – one way or the other – the better for all concerned.