Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who clashed with the British royal family and left for the United States, will return to the United Kingdom with their two children for the first time in six years. They will not resume royal duties, but their improving relationship with King Charles III, who is undergoing cancer treatment, appears to have influenced the decision to return.
On the 20th (local time), according to foreign media including the New York Times (NYT) and the BBC, the couple plan to wrap up their life in the United States and relocate to the United Kingdom with their son Archie, 7, and daughter Lilibet, 5. The two children have reportedly completed enrollment so they can attend school in the United Kingdom starting in September.
However, it is not known when the couple will move to the United Kingdom or where they will live. As they will not be performing royal duties, it is considered unlikely they will move into a royal-owned residence.
◇ Possibility of mending ties with King Charles amid cancer treatment… Prince Harry: "I want to reconcile with my family"
The background for the couple's return has not been made clear. However, since King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024, Prince Harry has sought reconciliation with his family, which is cited as a key factor.
In a BBC interview last year, Prince Harry said, "I want to reconcile with my family," adding, "Life is precious. We don't know how much time my father has left."
After that, the relationship between Prince Harry and King Charles changed. The two had tea last September at the king's residence in London. Last month, Harry and Meghan brought their children to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla. King Charles was reportedly informed on the 16th of the family's plan to move to the United Kingdom.
Harry and Meghan married in 2018. As Meghan, a mixed-race American actor with a successful career, joined the British royal family, their marriage was seen at the time as signaling a new era for the conservative institution.
But after the wedding, the British tabloids unleashed hostile coverage targeting Meghan. Prince Harry argued that even as Meghan's mental health deteriorated, the royal family did not publicly protect or support her, straining family relations. In January 2020, the two announced they would step back as senior members of the royal family and split their time between the United Kingdom and the United States.
The rift between the couple and the royal family continued after they left. In a March 2021 interview with broadcaster Oprah Winfrey, Meghan revealed that a royal figure had expressed concern about how dark their unborn child's skin might be. She also said that before leaving the United Kingdom, she was under such mental strain that she considered taking her own life.
◇ They wanted separation from the royal family… but results of independent ventures are mixed
Even if they return to the United Kingdom, Prince Harry and Meghan are said to be continuing independent activities without resuming royal duties. However, among their projects, content unrelated to the royal family has delivered relatively few clear results.
Upon leaving the royal family, the two declared financial independence and pursued media and household goods businesses in the United States. But their breakout hits were the Netflix documentary "Harry & Meghan," which dealt with royal life and family conflict, and Prince Harry's memoir "Spare."
Meghan's Spotify podcast "Archetypes" ended after one season, and a Netflix cooking show failed to move forward with season 3. The household goods brand "American Riviera Orchard" also faced reports of large inventories, prompting speculation of business struggles. Meghan's side explained that many products sold out quickly.