2 min readLate yesterday afternoon, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan shocked the world by announcing that they’ll be moving back to the United Kingdom—six years after they stepped down from their senior positions as royals and relocated their family to California. They are wasting no time either, as the move will occur by the end of the month, with their two children—Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5—set to start school across the pond in September. It is unclear how long the couple will remain in the U.K., but they are maintaining their status as non-working royals.
Now, the question on everyone’s minds is what this means for their relationship with the rest of the royal family. For the last few years, there have been tensions between Harry and his U.K. relatives, specifically between him and his older brother, Prince William. These problems were intensified when Harry released his tell-all memoir, Spare, in January 2023.
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have not lived in the U.K. since 2020.
When People broke the news that the Sussexes were moving back to the U.K., the report stated that King Charles III only learned of the couple’s plans this past weekend, and apparently “welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity.”
The Duke of Sussex has been slowly repairing his relationship with his father over the past few years. Just last month, the Sussexes made a visit to see Charles and Queen Camilla at their private residence, Highgrove House. It marked the first time that Archie and Lilibet had seen their grandfather in four years.
During the visit, though, Harry reportedly had no interaction with William. “It’s so broken,” a source told People of the brothers’ relationship. “I thought it would have perhaps eased a little bit by now, to be honest. But there has been no movement, especially on William’s side. There is no contact.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales have not spoken publicly about the Sussexes’s move, but the news reportedly came as a surprise to the couple. The last time Harry saw his older brother was back in 2023, at their father’s coronation. As for how this move might affect the siblings’ relationship going forward—well, only time will tell.