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Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle are planning to return to Britain this month, six years after stepping down from royal duties and moving to the United States, according to several British media outlets on Wednesday.
People magazine and The Telegraph reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to return to the UK from California for an extended stay with their children, seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet.
Neither Harry’s spokesperson nor Buckingham Palace has commented on the reports. However, a source close to the couple confirmed the plans.
The couple will not stay at a royal residence while in Britain. Under an arrangement made with the late Queen Elizabeth when they left in March 2020, they remain non-working members of the royal family.
Harry married Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in 2018.
However, tensions between the couple and other members of the royal family soon emerged. In March 2020, they announced that they would step back from official royal duties and move to the United States.
They later settled in the upscale California community of Montecito, near Santa Barbara. According to media reports, the 16-bedroom house they purchased in 2020 cost $14.7 million.
Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, have criticised the British royal family and the monarchy in several television interviews and their Netflix documentary series. Harry also made similar criticisms in his memoir, Spare.
In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan said an unnamed member of the royal family had raised concerns about how dark the skin of their son Archie might be.
Prince William, Harry’s elder brother and heir to the throne, rejected claims that the royal family was racist. Harry’s remarks about his father, King Charles, and William further strained their relationships.
Harry has also been frustrated by changes to his security arrangements in Britain. He previously said that the lack of police protection meant he was unable to bring his children to the UK.
However, relations between Harry and his father are believed to have begun improving last September, when they met briefly for the first time in 20 months.
Charles was diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Last December, he said in a televised announcement that he was recovering and that doctors were reducing his medication.
Harry and Meghan visited Britain with their children last July. It was the first time Charles had seen his grandchildren since 2022.
Although the king has welcomed opportunities to spend more time with the Sussexes, reports said he only learned last Sunday about the couple’s plans to return to Britain.
While Harry’s relationship with his father has improved somewhat, his relationship with William remains strained, with the brothers reportedly having little or no communication.
From their home north of Hollywood, Harry and Meghan have launched several business and media ventures. They signed multimillion-dollar deals with Spotify for a podcast series and with Netflix for various programmes, including a lifestyle show hosted by former actress Meghan.
The ventures have produced mixed results. Harry’s memoir became a bestseller, but their podcast and Meghan’s Netflix show were not renewed.