Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the United Kingdom. After more than six years based primarily in California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to relocate later this month to a private, non-royal home outside London. Their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are already enrolled in British schools and due to start in September.
The announcement, first widely reported around August 19–20, 2026, marks a dramatic shift for the couple who stepped back from senior royal duties in 2020 and built a life in Montecito. They intend to keep their California residence while establishing a new base in Britain. There are no current plans for them to resume official working royal roles.
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Why Now? Family, Home, and Multiple Factors
Sources close to the couple have described the decision as driven by a desire for the children to grow up with stronger British roots, time with family, and Harry’s long-standing sense of missing home. A source told People that Harry “never really stopped missing home.” King Charles was informed of the plans only days before the news broke; the couple and their children had visited him at Highgrove earlier in the summer.
Security remains a complex and unresolved issue. Harry has repeatedly cited safety concerns as a barrier to longer UK stays. Past requests for publicly funded police protection outside royal residences have been denied. How the family will handle protection as private residents has not been detailed publicly. British officials have described security arrangements as a private matter.
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The Trump and Visa Context
The timing has fueled speculation linking the move to Donald Trump’s presidency and earlier comments about Harry’s US immigration status. During the 2024 campaign and into his second term, Trump criticized Harry, saying at one point he “wouldn’t protect him” because of the royal exit and remarks about the late Queen Elizabeth II. He also referenced possible action if Harry had lied on visa forms.
Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare included admissions of past drug use (cocaine, cannabis, and psychedelics). The conservative Heritage Foundation sued US authorities seeking his immigration records, arguing he may have received preferential treatment or failed to disclose the use properly. Courts largely kept the records private. Trump later ruled out deportation, joking that he would “leave him alone” because Harry “has enough problems with his wife.”
Sources close to the Sussexes have pushed back against claims that the visa situation or Trump specifically forced the move, describing the decision as multi-factorial rather than a single political trigger.
What Comes Next
The family is expected to arrive in late August. They will live as private individuals. Questions linger about long-term security, the state of relationships within the royal family (particularly with Prince William), and how the couple will balance their California ties with life in Britain.
King Charles is said to welcome more private time with his son and grandchildren. For Harry and Meghan, the return represents a significant chapter after years of independence, media battles, and business ventures in the US.
Whether this becomes a permanent full-time base or a more flexible arrangement remains to be seen. For now, the focus is on the children starting school and the family navigating a return that once seemed highly unlikely.
The story continues to develop as the Sussexes prepare to cross the Atlantic once again — this time heading east.
