Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Bring Rescue Dogs to U.K. but Leave Family Chickens in California
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle prepare to relocate their household to the United Kingdom ahead of the September school term, the cross-Atlantic move comes with a bittersweet compromise for seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet.
While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to bring their beloved rescue dogs to Britain, the family’s flock of rescued factory-farm hens will remain behind in Montecito, California.
Navigating Transatlantic Travel for the Family Pets
Due to the logistical challenges of international livestock transit, the Sussexes have made arrangements to divide care for their household animals:
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Dogs Making the Journey: The family’s two rescue canines—a black Labrador Retriever named Pula (meaning “rain” in Setswana) and a Beagle named Mia, adopted from the Beagle Freedom Project in 2022—will travel to the U.K. to help ease the children’s transition.
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Chickens Staying Behind: The flock residing in the backyard coop—famously dubbed “Archie’s Chick Inn” during the couple’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey—will stay at the Montecito estate under the dedicated care of local estate staff. The coop includes Sinkie, a hen rehomed from former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres in early 2024.
A Bittersweet Farewell for Prince Archie
The decision is expected to be particularly poignant for young Archie, who has long shared a close bond with the rescued birds. Documented over the years collecting eggs in wellies and a wicker basket, the young royal was described by family insiders as “positively obsessed” with caring for the coop, making the necessary separation one of the few difficult adjustments in the family’s upcoming U.K. chapter.