Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Return to UK With Archie and Lilibet After Six Years Away

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to Britain with their two children, marking an unexpected new chapter for the Sussex family six years after they stepped down as working royals and left the UK.

The couple are understood to have flown privately from California into Birmingham Airport, arriving around lunchtime on Wednesday, August 26.

Their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are expected to begin their education in Britain in September, with the family planning to remain in the country for an “extended period”.

The return had previously been expected toward the end of August, but the Sussexes arrived earlier than anticipated.

A new life in Britain — but outside the Royal Family

Harry and Meghan are understood to have already secured a new home in the UK.

The property will be a private, non-royal residence, meaning the family will not be moving into one of the Royal Family’s official homes.

Although they will be living in Britain, the couple are not returning as working royals.

They are expected to continue running their private business interests, while Harry will not undertake official royal duties and the couple are not expected to receive money from the public purse during their time in the UK.

The family will also retain their £11 million home in Montecito, California, as well as their property in Portugal.

Their relocation therefore appears to be less a permanent break from their American life than an attempt to establish a second base in Britain while their children attend school there.

Harry and Meghan kept their plans from King Charles

The move comes only weeks after Harry and Meghan reunited with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove in Gloucestershire.

The couple took Archie and Lilibet to see their grandfather during their visit in July — the first such meeting in four years.

Despite apparently having been considering their return for weeks or even months, Harry and Meghan are not believed to have raised the possibility with Charles during that meeting.

The King was instead informed of their plans shortly before the move became public.

Charles, 77, is nevertheless understood to welcome the prospect of spending more time with his grandchildren and the wider Sussex family privately.

Harry had already been expected back in Britain in mid-September for several of his patronages, including the WellChild Awards, and would have been offered a room at Buckingham Palace.

Where will the Sussexes live?

The precise location of Harry and Meghan’s new home remains closely guarded.

Sussex sources have declined to identify either the property or the children’s schools, citing privacy and security concerns.

One location that has attracted speculation is the Cotswolds, a popular area among celebrities seeking a quieter lifestyle and one that is also relatively close to the King’s Highgrove estate.

Another possibility could be an area closer to Althorp House in Northamptonshire, the childhood home of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, where her grave is located.

It remains unclear whether Harry and Meghan have purchased their new British property or are renting it.

What is known is that it will not be a royal residence.

The security question remains unresolved

The family’s return is particularly notable given Harry’s long-running concerns over security in Britain.

After stepping down as a working royal in 2020, Harry lost the level of automatic police protection he had previously received.

He subsequently launched a multi-million-pound legal campaign seeking the restoration of round-the-clock armed security for himself and his family while in the UK.

Following what he described as a “devastating” court defeat 18 months ago, Harry said:

“I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.”

His decision to now return with Meghan and their children therefore raises fresh questions about whether the security situation has changed.

It is not known whether the Home Office has altered its position on protection for the Sussexes, and sources have declined to comment.

During their visit to Britain last month, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet were able to travel without taxpayer-funded armed police protection.

The Sandringham Agreement and the future of their royal role

The Sussexes’ return also puts renewed attention on the January 2020 Sandringham Agreement, the arrangement established when Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties.

The agreement ruled that the couple could not simultaneously carry out duties as working royals while earning private-sector income.

Their current plans appear designed to maintain that separation.

Harry and Meghan will live privately, continue their commercial ventures and remain outside the working Royal Family.

Sources have suggested that any discussions about a possible future role for Harry would have to take place directly between him and his father, King Charles.

For now, however, there is no indication that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to official royal duties.

Archie and Lilibet begin their British education

Perhaps the clearest indication of the family’s plans is the decision to enroll both children in British schools.

Archie is now at prep school age, while Lilibet is eligible to enter Year One.

The children are expected to start in September, meaning their return is closely linked to the beginning of the new school year.

Where they will attend has not been disclosed.

The decision gives Archie and Lilibet an opportunity to spend a significant period in the country where their father was born and raised, while Harry and Meghan maintain their established lives and business interests overseas.

For the Sussexes, the move represents a striking change from the position they took when they left Britain six years ago.

Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals in 2020 and subsequently built their life in California.

Now, with their children preparing to attend British schools and a private UK residence reportedly secured, the family is once again establishing a foothold in Britain — even as questions remain over where they will live, how long they will stay and what the arrangement means for Harry’s relationship with the Royal Family.