Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Plan Major U.K. Return with Archie and Lilibet Six Years After Royal Exit

Prince Harry with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet at Althorp in July 2026.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing for one of the most significant changes to their family life since stepping away from royal duties six years ago.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to establish a new home base in the United Kingdom, returning to Britain with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, for an extended period beginning in August 2026. Archie and Lilibet are also expected to begin attending school in Britain in September, according to multiple reports.

The decision does not mean Harry and Meghan are returning as working members of the royal family. Instead, they are expected to live privately while maintaining their financial independence and continuing the careers and charitable work they developed after leaving royal life in 2020.

The Sussexes Will Establish a Private Home in Britain

Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, are reportedly setting up a private, non-royal residence in Britain. The exact location is being kept confidential, as are details of Archie and Lilibet’s school.

The couple will also retain their longtime home in Montecito, California, as well as their property in Portugal, meaning their lifestyle is expected to remain international rather than representing a complete abandonment of the United States.

Their return will give the Sussex family a permanent base in Britain for the first time since Harry and Meghan gave up Frogmore Cottage, their former Windsor residence.

Frogmore Cottage had been provided to the couple by Queen Elizabeth II. However, after Harry published his controversial memoir Spare in January 2023, King Charles asked the Sussexes to vacate the property.

Since then, Harry’s visits to Britain have frequently generated speculation about where he would stay and whether adequate security arrangements could be made.

Having their own private residence could resolve some of that uncertainty.

Archie and Lilibet Will Attend School in Britain

Perhaps the most consequential element of the decision involves the Sussex children.

Archie and Lilibet are expected to begin school in the U.K. in September, giving them a considerably stronger connection to their father’s home country.

Archie was born in Britain in May 2019, while Lilibet was born in California in June 2021, after Harry and Meghan had already left their roles as senior working royals.

Both children have spent most of their lives in California.

The location of their new school has not been publicly disclosed, and the family is reportedly making privacy and security a priority.

King Charles Was Informed of the Plans

King Charles III was reportedly informed of Harry and Meghan’s plans shortly before the news became public.

According to PEOPLE, the King learned about the decision on Sunday, Aug. 16, and is said to welcome the possibility of spending more private time with Harry, Meghan and his grandchildren.

However, the development should not be interpreted as a return to the arrangement Harry and Meghan had before 2020.

Charles is reportedly maintaining a clear distinction between family reconciliation and official royal responsibilities. Harry and Meghan will remain non-working members of the royal family, with no restoration of their former public roles simply because they are living in Britain again.

The Move Follows an Important Family Reunion

The announcement comes shortly after Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet visited Britain together.

During that trip, the children reunited with King Charles after several years with little face-to-face contact.

The Sussex family reportedly visited the King at Highgrove House, an encounter that represented an important personal moment after years of tension between Harry and the royal establishment.

Harry and his family also traveled to Althorp House, the ancestral home of Princess Diana’s Spencer family.

Princess Diana spent much of her childhood at Althorp and is buried on an island in the estate’s Oval Lake.

For Harry, bringing Archie and Lilibet there carried obvious emotional significance, connecting his children to the memory of the grandmother they never had the opportunity to meet.

Security Has Been One of Harry’s Biggest Concerns

For years, Harry has repeatedly said that security was a major obstacle preventing him from bringing Meghan and their children to Britain more frequently.

After the Sussexes stepped away from official royal duties, they lost the automatic taxpayer-funded police protection previously associated with their positions.

Harry subsequently fought a prolonged legal battle regarding the arrangements used to determine security protection for him and his family when visiting Britain.

His willingness to establish a home in the U.K. therefore represents a significant change.

Although neither Harry nor Meghan has publicly provided details about their current security arrangements, the decision suggests they now believe they can manage the risks associated with spending considerably more time in Britain.

Harry Can Expand His Work with British Charities

Living in the U.K. will also make it easier for Harry to participate directly in several organizations he has supported for years.

Among them are WellChild, which assists seriously ill children and their families, and Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports bereaved military children.

Harry is also expected to remain deeply involved in the Invictus Games, the international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans that he founded in 2014.

He had already been expected to spend more time in Britain for Invictus-related engagements and other charitable work.

Meghan, meanwhile, is expected to continue running her lifestyle business As Ever while pursuing additional media and commercial projects.

Their return therefore appears designed to combine their independent professional lives with a renewed physical presence in Britain.

Harry’s Relationship with William Remains Strained

The improvement in Harry’s relationship with his father does not necessarily mean the wider royal family dispute has been resolved.

Harry’s relationship with his older brother, Prince William, has remained particularly difficult.

Tensions between the brothers became increasingly public following Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal duties, their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan and Harry’s memoir Spare.

Harry has nevertheless repeatedly expressed a desire for reconciliation.

Speaking to the BBC in 2025, he said he would like to repair relations with his family and argued there was little value in continuing the conflict.

Whether living in Britain again will create opportunities to improve his relationship with William remains unclear.

A Decision Harry May Have Been Considering for Some Time

There were signs Harry had been thinking about the possibility of returning long before the reported move became public.

Singer Joss Stone previously recalled speaking with Harry at the WellChild Awards in September 2025 after she moved her own family back to Britain following several years in the United States.

According to Stone, Harry was particularly interested in British schools, community life and what returning home had meant for her children.

Those comments now appear particularly significant given Archie and Lilibet’s expected enrollment in a British school.

Prince Harry, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie in June 2026.

A New Chapter, Not a Return to Royal Life

Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain is therefore better understood as a family and lifestyle decision rather than a royal comeback.

They are not expected to resume official duties, return to a royal residence or become financially dependent on the monarchy.

Instead, they appear to be attempting something closer to the international life they had once envisioned: maintaining independence while dividing their time between Britain, the United States and Portugal.

Six years after leaving the U.K. amid one of the most dramatic royal ruptures in modern history, Harry will once again have a home in his native country.

And this time, he will be bringing Meghan, Archie and Lilibet with him.

The move may not erase years of family tension, but it creates something that has been largely absent since 2020: the possibility for the Sussex children to grow up with a meaningful connection to both sides of their family and for Harry to rebuild a more regular presence in Britain while remaining outside the institution he chose to leave.