Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, returned to the United Kingdom on Wednesday after living in California for six years, according to a report by BBC News. The couple traveled by private aircraft with their two children, Archie and Lilibet, to relocate to Britain. A spokesperson for the Sussexes declined to comment on the travel to the BBC, and representatives did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation from CBS News.
The relocation follows the couple's January 2020 announcement that they would step away from their roles as senior working members of the royal family to pursue financial independence. At the time, they stated a desire for a "geographic balance" to raise their son with royal traditions while focusing on a new charitable entity. Their departure led to documented tensions with other members of the royal family, and the couple has remained non-working members of the family since moving to California.
The family is expected to reside in the Cotswolds, a region approximately a two-hour drive west of London. The BBC reported that the couple’s children are scheduled to begin attending a new school next week. The move follows a 2024 legal ruling in which Prince Harry lost a challenge against the British government’s decision to downgrade his security detail for visits to the U.K. after he ceased royal duties.
The Duke and Duchess will no longer have the same level of government-provided security they held as working royals. In 2024, the U.K. government downgraded their security detail, a decision Harry unsuccessfully challenged in court. For the family, the immediate day-to-day change involves the transition of their children, Archie and Lilibet, into the British school system starting next week. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that future security arrangements for the couple are a private matter for the family.
The move sets a precedent for how non-working members of the royal family navigate private life within the U.K. after an extended period abroad. It remains to be seen how their proximity to the royal household will influence future family dynamics or their ongoing charitable work. The next significant dates for the family include the start of the school term next week and any future court proceedings regarding their ongoing legal disputes with the British press.