The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are moving back to Britain, and for now, their most pressing royal duty is the school run. Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, will start at a prep school in September, trading California sunshine for English autumns and, as one insider put it, learning “if not a new language, then at least a new accent.”
This is not a return to royal duties. It is a carefully calibrated relocation, driven by family logistics and Prince Harry's commitment to the Birmingham Invictus Games in July 2027. The couple have made clear they are not seeking a “half-in, half-out” arrangement with the monarchy. There will be no working roles, no official palace appearances, and any family gatherings at Balmoral or Sandringham will be strictly at the King's invitation.
What does this move mean for the Sussexes' family life?
For Meghan, the immediate focus is settling the children into a routine of school and clubs. She will run her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from England while making frequent trips back to California. The brand, which registered UK trademarks across 2025, continues to expand with seasonal ranges of fruit spreads and Californian wine.
Harry, meanwhile, has a week of patronages scheduled around the WellChild Awards in early September. Sources say he is holding daily meetings about the Invictus Games and planning “constantly.” The couple's stay is open-ended, with one insider suggesting it could be “six months, a year, two years ... who knows,” though they are unlikely to uproot the children from a new school too quickly.
Can the Sussexes rebuild trust with the Royal family?
The move follows a recent private meeting at Highgrove between Harry and his father, King Charles, which Meghan and the children also attended. Harry is said to hope for a public reunion and for the King to open the Invictus Games. But royal observers caution that this would be a “long road,” and the Sussexes must prove they can be trusted. Details of that Highgrove tea have yet to leak, which some see as a promising sign of discretion.
Yet the old tensions remain. Security is still not resolved to Harry's satisfaction; their arrival at Birmingham Airport was handled by personal protection officers rather than a taxpayer-funded police convoy. The outcome of a Home Office committee review has not been communicated to them. And Harry's legal battles with the British press have, for now, concluded, most recently with a wholesale victory for the publishers of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
Why move back to Britain at all?
Criticism reaches the Sussexes in California just as easily as it does in Britain, so the argument goes, making location less relevant than it once seemed. But the decision was not impulsive. As one confidant put it, “You don't just move countries on a whim.” The couple had discussed it for a while, waiting for “a number of puzzle pieces to fall in place at the right time.”
For the next week or so, they will let the dust settle and unpack. And of the future? They are, says a source, “excited.”
Frequently asked questions about the Sussexes' UK move
Will Harry and Meghan take on royal duties again?
No. The couple agreed to the terms of the 2020 Sandringham summit, and the King intends to uphold them. There will be no working roles and no official appearances at palaces.
How long will the Sussexes stay in Britain?
There are no firm plans. Sources indicate the stay could last anywhere from six months to two years or more, depending on how the children settle and how Harry's Invictus commitments progress.
What is Meghan's business focus during the move?
Meghan will continue to run As Ever, her lifestyle brand, from England, with seasonal product ranges and plans for future growth. She will travel frequently to California for the business.
Will the children attend school in the UK?
Yes. Archie and Lilibet will start at a prep school in September, marking their first extended experience of British life and education.