Six years after Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan stepped back from their positions as senior members of the royal family and moved their family to Montecito, California, they are relocating back to the United Kingdom, at least temporarily.
According to a new report from People magazine, the Dukes of Sussex are relocating to Great Britain for an extended period starting from the end of this month. Though it remains unclear how long the couple plans to live abroad, the publication also notes that the couple's two children—Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5—will begin school in the United Kingdom in the autumn. The location of the family's new residence remains confidential. This move will not alter Meghan and Harry's status as non-working members of the royal family.
Meghan and Harry first moved to California in July 2020, just months after announcing they would step back from their royal duties. Their primary residence became Montecito, where their neighbours include celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ariana Grande.
According to People, the Sussexes will continue to own their house in California, as well as their private holiday property in Portugal. Their new residence in England will not be crown property. Meghan and Harry's last residence in the United Kingdom was Frogmore Cottage, which was gifted to them by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019. However, after moving to California, their occupancy licence was not renewed, and in 2023 they were asked to vacate the property, which was subsequently offered to Prince Andrew, the discredited younger brother of King Charles III.
This news comes just weeks after the Sussexes made a private visit to see Charles and Queen Camilla, marking the first time the Sussex children had seen their grandfather in four years. The King is currently undergoing treatment for a form of cancer, a treatment that has been scaled back since his diagnosis in early 2024. According to People, the King only learned of the couple's intention to move to the United Kingdom last weekend, and "welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family on a private and personal basis".
