Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's UK return: Prince William's response revealed, and more

Los Angeles correspondent

It's been almost two days since the news broke of the Sussexes' return to the UK, and we still haven't had any official word from Kensington Palace and the Waleses.

King Charles was made aware of their plans only three days before it was confirmed, and HELLO!'s Royal Editor Emily Nash says that Prince William and Kate -= who are likely "not delighted" about the news - may also only have been given a few days' notice.

Discover more about how and when William heard the news here.

Los Angeles correspondent

On the back of this news, don't forget to take our latest poll: Is Meghan’s new acting opportunity the real reason behind the Sussexes’ UK return?

You can vote, and comment, here.

Los Angeles correspondent

More news coming for Team Sussex -  Meghan is reportedly to join the cast of Netflix's The Gentleman.

There have been plenty of rumours about the Duchess of Sussex restarting her acting career, and a source close to the family told HELLO!: "There have been inquiries in the entertainment space recently and things that she is considering but nothing is firm yet. There are only conversations."

Read our full report here.

Homes Editor

After the shock revelation that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to return to the UK to live very soon, the royals have gathered at Balmoral Castle in what is being dubbed the "Sussex summit". However, this royal meet-up would have taken place regardless as the royal family are commencing their summer holiday in Aberdeenshire as they do each year.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were pictured arriving at the Balmoral estate. Other senior royals including Princess Anne and Mike and Zara Tindall were seen pulling onto site. 

We're sure that behind closed doors talk will turn to the Sussex news, as well as the usual jovial activities that a Balmoral summer brings with it - thinking hiking, horse riding and enjoying al fresco lunches. 

Homes Editor

During a recent return to the UK, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle slipped away for a discreet family retreat in the Cotswolds, according to reports. Staying at a private Oxfordshire home owned by a wealthy acquaintance, the Sussexes brought along seven-year-old Archie and five-year-old Lilibet for the covert stay. 

This would have been the perfect location for the family to head to King Charles and Queen Camilla's property, Highgrove in Gloucestershire.

They also paid a visit to Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, on the Althorp Estate.

Perhaps the rural locations are giving us a hint about where the family may be looking for a place to stay upon their impending return. 

Homes Editor

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle prepare to uproot their family back across the pond, US journalist and media expert Christine Ross reflects on her own move to the UK with her children.

Christine's motivation was that her husband grew up in the Cambridgeshire countryside and they "wanted to recreate his halcyon childhood" which is perhaps similar to the Prince's own reasoning. 

Rumours are swirling that the family are seeking out a countryside location to settle with their family and Christine believes life outside London will be a "haven" for the Sussexes. 

While Christine is glad she made the mega move, she opens up about the supermarket tears and village gossip that came with her relocation. Sign up to VIP membership and read her real-life story. 

Homes Editor

While rumours are swirling regarding the reason Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have decided to return to the UK now. It could be financial motivation, a desire to be closer to reconcile with family or perhaps a want to give their two children a UK education. But now, fresh news has added another potential motivation into the mix - could it be to reignite Meghan's acting career? It transpires that the former Suits actress has been offered a new acting role in the UK. 

Before meeting a Prince, Meghan was a successful star in her own right, with her most notable role being paralegal Rachel Zane in Suits, but she also starred in Hallmark movies and films Horrible Bosses and Remember Me. 

Meghan put her acting career on hold when she married Harry in 2018 in St George's Chapel in Windsor, telling the BBC at the time it marked the start of a "new chapter". 

She's never strayed too far from the screen though, appearing in a 2022 Netflix docuseries with her husband called Harry & Meghan, and her cooking and lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan.

Homes Editor

It's been 36 hours since the news broke about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returning to the UK to live. Our initial shock has turned to intrigue about whether Harry will reconcile with his brother, Prince William, and where the Sussex family will choose to settle to embark on their fresh start. 

Our Royal Editor, Emily Nash, has written a report for our VIP members on the major realisation that led to Harry and Meghan's dramatic U-turn and, interestingly, why they're not calling it a permanent move.

What has the reaction to the big news been? Well, Prince William is reportedly "not happy" about it, while King Charles was only told three days before the announcement. 

We have a brand new A Right Royal Podcast to discuss all the drama, including questions over Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's UK schooling and the possibility of the Sussexes being 'half in, half out' of the royal monarchy. 

Stay tuned, as more unfolds. 

US Royal News CorrespondentNew York

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are set to begin school in the UK next month, heading into Year Three and Year One, respectively. The siblings can expect a more "rigorous" education than they experienced in the US, according to Good Schools spokesperson Grace Moody-Stuart.

"There'll be some traditions, cultural traditions that are different how people approach food and eating food. I think these [English] schools are quite wholesome; it's lots of fish and chips. It's not like all about granola and blackberries," Grace told HELLO!.

"But then again, depending on where they end up, there are certain areas of the country that are much more like that. I imagine they'll choose somewhere which won't be too much of a culture shock when perhaps some of their friends have gone."

Grace noted that the education system in the UK "is much more structured from a very early age." She said: "So, when people move from the US, they tend to have to catch up a bit with the English curriculum, and I think if Harry and Meghan - who knows what their long-term plan is - but if they are planning a kind of English public school for the next stage, then they'll need to be prepared for that." 

Los Angeles correspondent

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Los Angeles correspondent

Well, what a 24 hours it's been for royal watchers!

To recap, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to the UK, for what they are calling "an extended stay," with their children both enrolled in schools and starting the first week of September.

It was a shocking U-turn for the couple, only six years after they left the UK amid heightened tensions with Harry's family. In the months after they settled in the US, those tensions worsened when the pair made accusations of racism within the royal family, and revealed family secrets in a Netflix documentary and a tell-all memoir.

Prince William is reportedly "not happy" with the news, while King Charles was only told three days before the announcement.

HELLO! has been deep diving into this news with expert analysis across various platforms, including stories for our VIP subscribers...

• William and Kate's radio silence, Christmas at Sandringham, and why now? Your questions about Harry and Meghan's UK return answered
• The realization that led to Harry and Meghan's dramatic U-turn and why they're not calling it a permanent move
• Prince William left 'aghast' by Prince Harry's decision to return to UK with his family
• Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet face 'culture' shock as they move to UK school: 'They'll have to catch up'
• Inside Meghan Markle's 'challenging' reputational rehabilitation

US Royal News CorrespondentNew York

Author Robert Jobson believes the Duke of Sussex's return to the UK puts "pressure" on his big brother, Prince William, who must be "slightly aghast" by the news.

Speaking to HELLO!, Robert said: "I feel that William must be slightly aghast by the whole thing. The prodigal son coming back will be difficult for him. Harry's move puts pressure on him to act in a more pragmatic way."

Diana's boys are not believed to be in contact and were last in the same room back in 2024 at the funeral of their uncle, Lord Fellowes.

King Charles was informed of his younger son and daughter-in-law's relocation plans on Sunday. 

"Perhaps the King is hoping that it will be a chance for reconciliation," Robert said. "We've had the noise of Megxit. Now we have Regretzit."

US Royal News CorrespondentNew York

A new YouGov poll, carried out the day after it was announced that Meghan and Harry are moving back across the pond, found that 33 percent of the 5,810 adults surveyed believe the Duke and Duchess should not move back to the UK, while 45 percent do not know. Just 21 percent are in favor of the Sussexes relocating to the UK from the US.

US Royal News CorrespondentNew York

News of Harry and Meghan's return to the UK has raised many questions. In an episode of HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast, Royal Editor Emily Nash explained why the timing of the Sussexes' move makes sense now, plus what appears to have changed regarding security and much more.

"This proximity to the royal world, you know, the longer they are away from it, the longer they live as private citizens in the United States, the more that kind of magic wears off. And they just become any other celebrities, you know, living in California," Emily said.

"But what they have is their association with the King in particular, Harry is the King's son. This is what he was born into, but there's no denying that so much of the attention that they have been given over the years, not just by the public, but by brands and people offering them commercial deals, has come about because of their royal status."

Sign up to our VIP membership to read Emily's explanations along with more exclusive royal coverage.

US Royal News CorrespondentNew York

Winning over the British public is going to be the real "challenge" and "very difficult" for the Duchess of Sussex as she returns to the UK, according to leading public relations expert Mark Borkowski.

"It’s how she finds a way of bringing back that so-called magic that they once had in the Fab Four back in the day," Mark told HELLO!. "There's plenty of yummy mummy brands out there for health and wellbeing, and I think if she chooses the wrong thing she could become a parody."

Perhaps one option could be the West End.

“I know at least three or four West End theatre producers who would have her in a production tomorrow," Mark revealed. "If Amanda Knox could be the biggest talking point of Edinburgh, why wouldn't Meghan? Whether she wants to do that, I don't know, but a very sharp producer would definitely see a vehicle for her."

"The only thing they need to get right now is get themselves a good team that doesn’t kowtow to what they want to hear.”

US Royal News CorrespondentNew York

While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the UK, they won't be returning to royal duties. The couple officially stepped back as working members of the royal family in March 2020. In a statement released in January 2020, Buckingham Palace said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would not "use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family."

Now, with their return to the UK, HELLO! understands that there will be no change to the couple's role and status as private individuals and non-working royals, in keeping with their previous wishes and agreement. 

US Royal News CorrespondentNew York

While once close, Prince Harry's relationship with his cousins, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, is no longer what it used to be. An insider told HELLO!: "Beatrice and Eugenie are not even in touch - and Eugenie was once so close to him."

Eugenie previously visited the Sussexes while they were living in California, but the cousins did not see each other this summer when the Duke and Duchess were in Portugal. The source revealed: "They didn’t even see each other when they were over in Portugal recently, probably because Eugenie was so heavily pregnant, but it’s a real difference to how close they used to be, so close that they let Eugenie and Jack stay in Frogmore cottage, remember when they needed a place to stay. They’re not that close anymore.".

In addition to not being "so close to Beatrice and Eugenie anymore," the insider pointed out that Harry "has very few friends left from before."

"They’re going to have to make some serious social inroads and gatherings to get back in the fold."

Website Editor

The Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived at Balmoral following the news of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to the UK.

HELLO! understands that William and Kate have landed in Scotland for their annual summer break, joining King Charles and Queen Camilla. 

They are joined by their three children George, Charlotte and Louis.

HELLO!'s royal editor Emily Nash says that Prince William and Kate are likely "not delighted" about news of Harry's imminent return.

She told HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast, which comes out later on Thursday: "Well, what is intriguing about this is the complete radio silence coming from that end of the spectrum. "And what's interesting about it is that they're normally away at this time of year. I imagine they're not delighted about this. 

"It's going to be a very, very difficult hill to climb, having them suddenly back in the UK, popping up, doing things publicly, if that's where they go with this. So much has been said and done that has damaged that relationship, almost beyond repair. 

"I can't see a world in which they would be welcoming them back with open arms. But you would anticipate that the King will have spoken to William about this if he was made aware. We believe the Waleses were made aware beforehand. They didn't find out at the same time as the rest of the world. So they've had time to process this." 

Website Editor

When the Sussexes stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and relocated to Montecito, they made their stance pretty clear. They have since shared their grievances about the UK and life behind closed doors with the royal family. 

During Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the Duke admitted he felt "trapped" within the royal family. "I was trapped, but I didn't know I was trapped. Trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are. My father and my brother, they are trapped. They don't get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that."

Meghan agreed that she felt "silenced" in her role as a royal. "I've always valued independence. I've always been outspoken, especially about women's rights. I mean, that's the sad irony of the last four years is, I've advocated for so long for women to use their voice, and then I was silent." Host Oprah then clarified: "Were you silent or were you silenced?" to which Meghan replied, "The latter".

But that was far from the only complaint. From Harry's bombshell allegations in Spare to his explosive claims in their Netflix documentary, here's everything the couple have said before making a U-turn on their decision.

Website Editor

There was a time when Prince William and Prince Harry were inseparable, even acting as best men at each other's weddings. The image of the young brothers walking behind Princess Diana’s coffin in 1997 will be forever etched in our minds. 

Later, alongside their wives Kate and Meghan, they were dubbed the "Fab Four," offering a new modern face for the British monarchy.

Things look very different today. The brothers haven't spoken in years, with the distance only widening after the release of Harry and Meghan's Netflix docuseries and his explosive memoir, Spare.  

The royal family usually keeps any issues behind closed doors, but Harry hasn't held back from airing his side of the story. Let's take a look back at everything he has said about his fallout with his father and brother, right from the start…

Website Editor

After stepping back from their duties as senior royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle built a massive fortune through various multi-million-dollar entertainment deals spanning television, publishing, and podcasts. 

However, as the couple prepares to relocate back to the UK, questions have surfaced regarding the status of these commercial ventures and how they plan to safeguard their wealth moving forward.  

When the couple married on May 19, 2018, they merged their already considerable personal assets. The bulk of Harry’s wealth stems from significant inheritances - specifically from his late mother, Princess Diana, and a trust fund set up by his great-grandmother, the Queen Mother. 

For her part, Meghan built her own independent fortune through a successful acting career, earning a lucrative income during her years starring in the drama series Suits.  

But just how much money do Harry and Meghan really have? We've done a deep dive into their staggering net worths.

Website Editor

Naturally, a move this monumental is going to split opinions. For some, it might be viewed as a long-overdue homecoming that opens the door for King Charles to finally build a meaningful relationship with his grandchildren. I suspect, however, that most might say it feels like a baffling about-turn by Harry and Meghan after years of public criticism aimed at life in Britain and the monarchy.

Whether you view it as a welcome family reconciliation or a recipe for renewed drama, this is undoubtedly a massive moment for the Crown. Where do you stand on their shock homecoming? I'd love to hear your thoughts - first by casting your vote in the poll below, and then by leaving a comment to expand on your answer.

Reporter

Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on 4 June 2021. While her older brother was born in the UK, Lilibet was born in Santa Barbara, California.

The birth of their second child was different in many ways. There was no statement from the palace specifically to reveal the news, instead, Prince Harry and Meghan shared a statement on their Archewell Foundation website.

"On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe."

Royal fans will know that Lilibet is the nickname that Queen Elizabeth had as a child. The late monarch picked up the nickname in her younger years due to her difficulty pronouncing her full name, it's an affectionate name that stayed with her and was of huge sentimental value. It was only used by a handful of people closest to the Queen; her parents, King George VI and the Queen Mother, her late sister Princess Margaret, her husband Prince Philip and a few friends. Prince Harry and Meghan's nod to his grandmother was a clear sign of his love and admiration for her.

As for whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will extend their family anytime soon, Harry put these claims to bed in 2021 during their interview with Oprah Winfrey. After revealing Meghan – who was pregnant with Lilibet at the time – was expecting a girl, the proud dad said: "To have a boy and a girl, what more could you want?" He then insisted that two was enough and adamantly claimed the couple wouldn't have any more.

Reporter

Prince Archie was born on 9 May 2019 at the Portland Hospital in London and is sixth in the line of succession to the British throne. Archie was not born with his royal title. Instead, Archie was born with the styling: Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

There haven't been many times where Prince Archie has been seen out and about with his parents, but the royals' Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, showed plenty of footage from the time when they first moved to the States.

Reporter

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security around their return to the UK was a "private matter."

Asked by reporters on a visit to West Yorkshire whether the Government would establish and fund their security, the Prime Minister said: "Well, this is a private matter.

"It's a matter for Harry and for Megan, and we wish them well in the moves that they're making."

Reporter

While royal fans everywhere will likely be surprised to hear of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to leave the UK, one person who was well informed was the King. 

Prince William and Princess Kate were also made aware of Harry and Meghan's decision

Reporter

13 January 2020: Queen Elizabeth II convenes the emergency "Sandringham Summit" with Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry to iron out the logistics of their departure.  

18 January 2020: Buckingham Palace releases the official agreement details, confirming the couple will no longer receive public funds, will stop using their "Royal Highness" (HRH) titles, and will formally step down as working royals at the end of March.

9 March 2020:  Harry and Meghan complete their final official royal engagement, attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey alongside other senior royals. 

27 March 2020: The couple flies from Vancouver Island, Canada, where they had been temporarily staying, and officially relocates to Los Angeles, California, just as cross-border travel restrictions take effect due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

31 March 2020: The official "Megxit" transition period ends, and Harry and Meghan formally cease their official roles as working royals.

Reporter

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's last official royal duty was on 9 March 2020 when they appeared at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey alongside other senior royals including the Queen, Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Kate, and Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh.

For the occasion, Meghan stepped out in a bright green gown by royally-loved designer Emilia Wickstead, which she paired with a matching green William Chambers hat and her trademark high heels in a complementing nude colour from Aquazzura. 

She added a deep green bag by Uruguayan designer Gabriela Hearst and her delicate Birks diamond earrings, while a surprise visit to the National Theatre last week saw her don a sentimental gold 'Love Pendant' necklace by Sophie Lis. The thoughtful gold accessory was engraved with a sweet message that translated to: 'Every day I love you more, more than yesterday, less than tomorrow.'

Coordinating with his wife, Prince Harry wore a dark blue suit and green tie.

Reporter

Our US Royal Correspondent, Alexandra Hurtado, has shared her insights into why she thinks the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made the decision to leave their life in the US behind. 

The shock decision came on Wednesday evening, six years after the couple decided to leave the UK in 2020, leaving London for a life in the US.

Sign up to HELLO!'s VIP club to read Alexandra's detailed insight.