Prince Harry asked Joss Stone about her family’s move from America back to Britain during a WellChild Awards appearance in London on Sept. 8, as he visited during a four-day trip to the United Kingdom. Stone said the conversation touched on life back in Britain after living in the United States, where Harry has been living with Meghan Markle since 2020. She said he asked about how they were settling in and was genuinely interested in their move home. Stone described the duke as warm and down to earth and noted that the exchange included remarks about how wonderful the schools are in the UK and how important community is for children. She said the decision to return to Britain aligned with giving their children a sense of belonging, family, and safety.
Stone, who has four children with her American husband Cody DaLuz, recently relocated back to Britain from Nashville, Tennessee. Harry now lives with Meghan and their two children in Montecito, California. Stone attended the couple’s Windsor Castle wedding in May 2018 and has longstanding ties to Harry, including service as an ambassador for his former charity Sentebale and performances at past charitable events. The WellChild Awards appearance provided a moment of personal warmth between them, with Stone noting that meeting Harry after years was meaningful and that he also interacted warmly with her newborn daughter Nalima, whom he met at the event. Stone joked that Harry had teased her about having four children, noting a lighthearted moment amid the formal setting.
The exchange comes as reports have circulated that Harry intends to educate Archie and Lilibet in the UK. A Daily Mail profile cited a friend who said the duke favors a British education for his children and values the close network of friends he formed at Ludgrove and Eton. The friend also indicated Meghan is wary of boarding school, suggesting ongoing family negotiations about how to educate the children. The King is said to be supportive of the idea, though the matter remains a topic of discussion within the family. The broader debate about the children’s schooling has attracted attention from royal watchers and tabloids alike, underscoring deeper questions about how the Sussex children will be raised in relation to the royal tradition and the family’s security considerations.
Harry’s UK trip included a rare face-to-face reunion with his father, King Charles, at Clarence House in London, where they spoke for about an hour. The moment underscored ongoing ties between the Duke and the rest of the royal family as Harry has expressed willingness to spend more time in Britain in the future. In interviews since stepping back from royal duties, Harry has acknowledged his love for the UK and the life there, even as security concerns and previous legal rulings have complicated permanent relocation. He told BBC News that he misses parts of the country and that the life he never thought he would live in the UK remains poignant, while acknowledging the practical realities of protecting his family given current arrangements. The security dispute involved the Home Office and the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) and shaped discussions about where the family can safely live and be protected.
As the WellChild Awards drew attention to Harry’s ongoing connection to Britain and its charitable sector, observers noted the broader implications for the Sussex family’s future. Grant Harrold, a former personal butler to King Charles, has said a British schooling path remains plausible, depending on how family dynamics evolve and on security considerations. The awards, which celebrate seriously ill and disabled children and their families, provided a public-facing backdrop for the duke’s ongoing engagement with UK audiences, charities, and supporters who have followed his years of work alongside Meghan and their focus on children and education.
The week’s events also come amid broader conversations about where the couple’s children should be schooled and whether the family will spend more time in Britain. Harry has repeatedly described his affection for the UK and its institutions, while also noting the practical challenges of relocating under current protection protocols. The WellChild gathering, and the moments of dialogue with figures such as Stone, offer a Window into a nuanced engagement with UK life and its appeal for a family balancing royal inclinations with a desire for a rooted, supportive upbringing for Archie and Lilibet.