Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing to return to the UK with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet by the end of August, prompting commentator Sarah Vine to describe the move as 'a land grab' as the couple prepares for another major change six years after moving to the United States.
The Sussexes are expected to live for an extended period at a private, non-royal residence outside London. Their children have reportedly enrolled at British schools and are due to begin classes in September, according to sources close to the couple. Harry and Meghan will remain non-working members of the Royal Family, with no plans to resume official duties.
The news came after Harry, Meghan and their children visited King Charles at Highgrove last month. It was reportedly the first time Archie and Lilibet had seen their grandfather since 2022. However, reports indicate the Sussexes' planned move was not discussed during that meeting.
The family's return marks a sharp change in direction. Harry and Meghan left Britain in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties and moved to California, where they built a commercial life through media projects and personal ventures.
Their relationship with the Royal Family deteriorated further after a series of interviews, a Netflix documentary and Harry's memoir, Spare. The couple criticised palace officials, the British press and the arrangements governing Harry's security in the UK.
Harry has since said he wants reconciliation with his family. In a 2025 BBC interview following his unsuccessful security appeal, he said, 'I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore. I don't know how much longer my father has.'
That wish could become easier to pursue with the Sussexes based closer to the King. Yet the practical and constitutional position remains unchanged.
Neither Buckingham Palace nor the Sussexes has publicly detailed the reasons for the move, although a source close to the couple has confirmed the relocation.
The couple will not return as working royals, and there is no indication that a 'half-in, half-out' arrangement is being considered. They are also expected to retain their Montecito home and their property in Portugal. For Harry, however, the move may carry wider significance.
According to Palace Confidential, columnist Sarah Vine argued that the Sussexes' royal identity remains their most valuable asset. She said their public appeal depends largely on being members of the Royal Family, even while presenting themselves as rebels and disruptors.
'Harry and Meghan's currency is that they're members of the Royal Family,' Vine said. 'Yes, they're rebellious members of the Royal Family. Yes, they're disruptors. They like to class themselves that. But nevertheless, it's their royal value that's of interest to people.'
Vine claimed that value had become harder to sustain from California. She suggested the UK return could allow Harry to rebuild his influence through proximity to the institution he once left.
'And I think this coming back to the UK is their way of basically getting their trotters back under that royal table,' she said.
She went further, calling the decision 'a land grab' and suggesting Harry may feel he has 'run out of road' in America.
'There was sort of no more options for him,' Vine said. That remains Vine's interpretation rather than an established explanation for the relocation.