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Sussexes Return to UK
Prince Harry and Meghan will move back to the United Kingdom from Montecito, California, with their children Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, and King Charles was informed of the move on Sunday.
“King Charles was informed of the move on Sunday”
NBC News reported the couple will leave Southern California and return to the United Kingdom, with the children set to begin school in September and the family likely moving within the next two weeks.
The BBC said the children are enrolled to start at a British school in September and that there are no current plans for either Prince Harry or Meghan to resume their roles as working Royals.
The BBC also said the King was told of the move on Sunday and welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity, while the couple will remain private individuals.
NBC News added that a U.K. Home Office spokesperson said, “It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”
Security and Royal Status
The BBC said Prince William and Princess Catherine have also been informed of their plans, and it described the move as coming after the Sussexes visited the King at Highgrove in July without the move being discussed.
The BBC tied the July visit to security tensions, saying the move was reconsidered because the duke's request for police protection was rejected.
In May 2025, after losing a legal challenge over his security in the UK, Prince Harry said, “I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.”
The Guardian reported that the move is expected to be to a non-royal residence outside London and that the Sussexes’ security arrangements have not been disclosed.
The Guardian also quoted Prince Harry saying, “I never asked him to intervene – I asked him to step out of the way and let the experts do their jobs.”
What Changes, What Doesn’t
Multiple outlets said the move will not change the Sussexes’ status as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family, with the BBC saying there will be no expected change to their official status.
“King Charles welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private capacity”
NBC News reported that the King welcomes seeing more of the Sussex family in a private capacity but maintains that they will remain private individuals and nonworking members of the royal family.
People reported King Charles, 77, asked them to vacate Frogmore Cottage in 2023 and that he was made aware of the couple’s plans on Sunday, August 16.
People also said the move gives Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, their first home base in Britain since they relinquished the lease on Frogmore Cottage, and it said they will maintain their home in Montecito and their vacation property in Portugal.
The Guardian said the king is said to welcome the opportunity to see more of his family in a personal capacity but there will be no change in their status after relinquishing their official working roles within the royal family.
