Six years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left Britain to build a new life in California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing for another major change.
The couple is returning to the U.K. with their children for an extended period, a decision that has raised questions about what prompted their change of heart.
While their move does not mean they are abandoning everything they established after stepping away from royal duties, a royal expert believes their American experience may not have unfolded quite as they envisioned. As the Sussexes begin their next chapter, they appear determined to balance their existing lifestyle with a new future in Britain.
4Harry and Meghan moved to California after stepping back as senior working royals in 2020, but former royal butler Grant Harrold believes the life they hoped to create in America did not fully materialize.
“It is clear their time in America did not go to plan,” Harrold told Us Weekly. He pointed to their Netflix agreement and other commercial ventures as possible indications that their original expectations had changed, adding, “I suppose the dream life in the U.S. that they imagined didn’t come off.”
The Sussexes initially signed a $100 million multiyear agreement with Netflix in 2020 to develop television shows and movies. However, the streaming company ended its partnership with Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, in March after two seasons of “With Love, Meghan.”
Harrold suggested their decision to reconsider where they live is not particularly unusual, despite the enormous attention surrounding them.
The Sussexes Are Not Completely Leaving Their California Life Behind
4Despite returning to Britain, Harry and Meghan are not entirely giving up the life they established overseas. The couple intends to retain their Montecito, California, residence while also keeping their vacation property in Portugal.
Instead, their arrangement will give the Sussexes another base in Britain, where they are expected to have a private, non-royal residence. Their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, are also scheduled to begin school in the U.K. in September, making Britain a more significant part of the family’s daily life.
The arrangement suggests the Sussexes are expanding where they spend their time rather than simply reversing their 2020 departure. Their California home will remain part of their lives even as they establish a renewed presence in Britain.
Meghan And Harry Have Their Own Plans For Their U.K. Return
Returning to Britain does not mean Harry and Meghan intend to resume their former positions as working royals. Instead, both appear prepared to pursue their individual projects while taking advantage of their increased time in the country.
Meghan is expected to continue overseeing her lifestyle brand while also planning a return to acting. Harry, meanwhile, intends to devote more time to the charities and patronages he supports in Britain.
Their return could also provide Harry with more opportunities to work on his relationship with King Charles III. Harrold believes father and son have already been communicating about their relationship and suggested Harry may have sought his father’s guidance regarding aspects of the move.
Billionaire Ian Wace Is Helping Harry And Meghan With Their U.K. Move
4Harry and Meghan are also receiving assistance from British hedge fund billionaire Ian Wace as they establish themselves in the U.K. Two sources told Page Six that Wace is helping finance the Sussexes’ move. The 63-year-old businessman, who is said to be worth around $1.2 billion, is a founding partner, CEO and chief risk officer of Marshall Wace LLP.
Wace has maintained a close relationship with the couple for years and is said to share an emotional connection with Harry. In July, the Sussexes took Archie and Lilibet to Tanera Mòr, Wace’s private Scottish island. Harry had previously visited the secluded property in 2017, the same year Wace purchased it for $2.3 million.
The 800-acre island has since undergone an extensive transformation. Wace is said to have spent around $135 million restoring the property, including planting trees and building roads. His involvement in Harry and Meghan’s latest move now highlights the close friendship the billionaire has developed with the couple as they prepare for their next chapter in Britain.
King Charles May Have Pulled Harry Back Home
4Harrold also believes that King Charles III may have been involved in Harry and Meghan’s shocking return. He told Us Weekly, “I imagine King Charles has played a part in their decision.”
He also suggested that Harry and his father have been quietly working on their relationship, and their obvious distance from one another may have been a major barrier.
However, the move should not be confused with Harry and Meghan returning as working royals. Harrold confirmed that the Sussexes will live in a non-royal residence and will not resume official royal duties. Their arrangement with the monarchy therefore remains fundamentally different from the life they left behind in 2020.
