Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are returning to the United Kingdom from California on Wednesday, according to a report by BBC News. The couple and their two children are understood to be traveling via private aircraft. A spokesperson for the couple declined to comment to the BBC regarding the travel, and representatives did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation from CBS News.
The move follows the couple's 2020 announcement that they would step away from their roles as senior, working members of the royal family to pursue financial independence. Since their departure six years ago, they have resided in California. While they are returning to Britain, they have no plans to resume official royal duties and will remain non-working members of the family. The BBC reported the family is expected to reside in the Cotswolds, located approximately two hours west of London.
Recent legal and security matters have preceded the relocation. In 2024, Prince Harry lost a legal challenge against a U.K. government body’s decision to downgrade his security detail for visits to the country. Additionally, on a recent Friday, a court ordered the Duke and six other claimants to pay several million dollars to the publisher of the Daily Mail after their claims against the newspaper were ruled "unreasonable to a high degree." U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that future security arrangements are a private matter for the couple.
For the British public and the royal institution, the return of the Duke and Duchess ends a six-year period of geographic separation that began in 2020. The couple will transition from living in California to the Cotswolds region, though their status as non-working royals means they will not participate in the official state engagements or public duties typically funded or supported by the monarchy. The move follows years of reported tension between the couple and other members of the royal family following their initial departure.
The precedent for this return involves the ongoing status of the Duke’s security, which remains downgraded following his 2024 court loss. This means the family will likely have to manage private security arrangements rather than relying on the standard detail afforded to senior working royals. What happens next depends on the family's arrival this Wednesday and the start of the school term next week. No further dates for public appearances or formal interactions with other members of the royal family have been confirmed at this time.