Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's impending return to the United Kingdom, six years after stepping back from senior royal duties, has intensified focus on the familial tensions that contributed to their initial departure.
Neither King Charles III nor his elder son, Prince William, have publicly addressed reports of the Sussexes' planned relocation from their Montecito, California, home with their children, Archie and Lilibet. ABC News confirmed that Charles was informed of the move on Sunday, several days before The Telegraph first reported it on Wednesday.
The Sussexes have also remained publicly silent on the matter. The royal family, including Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate, are currently at their Balmoral residence in Scotland for their annual summer holiday.
A source indicated that the King anticipates seeing his son and grandchildren more frequently but stated that Harry and Meghan are not expected to resume official royal roles. Since relinquishing their duties in 2020, the couple has made only two visits to the U.K. with their children: one in 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee and another in July of this year.
Charles and Camilla hosted the Sussex family during the latter visit, marking their first in-person meeting with Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet in four years. Neither Buckingham Palace nor a representative for the Sussexes has commented on this meeting.
Harry has visited with his father in the U.K. periodically, particularly following Charles' cancer diagnosis in early 2024. However, his relationship with Prince William, his only sibling, has remained distant. The brothers were last known to be in each other's company in August 2024 at the funeral of their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes.
Following their departure from senior royal roles, Harry described strained relationships with some family members, notably his brother, in a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. During that interview, the couple shared details of Meghan's mental health struggles within the royal institution, alleged racism within the family, and claimed they were financially cut off and denied security after stepping down.
Buckingham Palace responded to the interview with a statement asserting that the Sussexes would