The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, have returned to the United Kingdom, arriving on a private flight from California with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
The relocation follows reports last week indicating that the family would move to the UK in August. When contacted, a spokesman for the Duke and Duchess declined to comment, saying “this is not something we would comment on,” reports BBC.
Under the new arrangement, the family will live in Britain as non-working royals and will not return to official duties. They are expected to base themselves at a private estate in the Cotswolds, outside London. Their children, Archie and Lilibet, have been enrolled in school, with the new term starting next week.
This move comes after the Sussexes originally stepped back from their royal duties and left the UK in early 2020, subsequently settling in California in March of that year.
It is understood that King Charles III was informed of the relocation earlier this month. The family previously visited the King at his Highgrove home in July, though the relocation was reportedly not discussed during the visit.
Prior to that July meeting, the Duke and Duchess had not been in the UK together since attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. The Prince and Princess of Wales have also been updated on their plans.
The Sussexes’ security has remained a major point of debate since news of their return broke.
Last year, Prince Harry lost a High Court legal challenge in his attempt to overturn a decision that downgraded his security status after he ceased being a working royal and relocated to the United States.
While the specific arrangements and funding for their security in the UK remain unclear, a Home Office spokesperson said security decisions for royals are made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec).
The spokesperson emphasized that the UK’s protective security system is both “rigorous and proportionate.”
Prince Harry has previously said safety worries had prevented him from travelling to the UK with his wife and children.
The family’s return also follows a legal setback last month, when the Duke and six other public figures lost a High Court privacy case against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail. The claimants face paying up to £34.5 million to the publisher in legal costs.
