SUSSEXES TOUCH DOWN IN BRITAIN — AND DETAILS OF HARRY AND MEGHAN’S PRIVATE FLIGHT HAVE NOW EMERGED
The family landed at Birmingham Airport this morning
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the UK today, landing at Birmingham Airport this morning.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were joined by their children, who are believed to have been enrolled in a school in the Cotswolds, with the new term beginning next week.
Leaving Van Nuys Airport in California at 18:01 PDT (2.01am BST), the Sussexes landed in Birmingham at 11.56am today.
Much of their almost 10-hour flight was overnight.
The couple flew on a Planet Nine private aircraft, designed to fly 12 hours at a time and sleep up to six passengers.
A spokesman for the couple stated when asked about their travel arrangements: “This is not something we would comment on.”
It emerged last week that the Sussexes intended to relocate to the UK this month for an “extended period of time”.
While that can be interpreted in many different ways, it is said that Harry “will be here for the next 12 to 15 years minimum,” according to the Daily Mail.
Leaving Van Nuys Airport in California at 18:01 PDT (2.01am BST), the Sussexes landed in Birmingham at 11.56am today
| FLIGHTAWARE
The move marks a significant moment for the family, who departed the working Royal Family six years ago.
It follows a brief visit to Britain in July, during which the Duchess of Sussex posted photographs from their time at Althorp on her Instagram account.
While the King was only informed of their decision to return to the country on August 16, he is said to have been “well aware” of the duke’s intentions to educate his children in Britain.
The couple intends to maintain an “international” lifestyle, holding on to their properties in both California and Portugal.
It emerged last week that the Sussexes intended to relocate to the UK this month for an ‘extended period of time’
| PA
However, while Harry and the children are anticipated to set up a more permanent residence in the UK, Meghan may take on a more “international role”.
The duchess is expected to “come and go” from California, where she has her As Ever brand, and the couple’s Archewell Productions offices are.
The family will also spend Christmas in Montecito and make use of school holidays to travel back to their home in California.
One telling detail about the family’s long-term intentions, however, is that their dogs Mia and Pula have made the journey across the Atlantic.
But the couple opted to leave their chickens at their Montecito estate rather than being rehomed.
The decision to leave the birds in place suggests the Sussexes have not ruled out an eventual return to the United States.
The question of how the family’s security will be handled remains unresolved and has sparked considerable debate since their return was first announced.
Harry’s trip to the UK last month was plagued by security concerns after his application for a security package was denied by the Home Office and the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec).
It forced the duke to reconsider whether his wife and children – who had been planning to join him for the whole trip – would travel at all.
In the end, they did – meeting with King Charles and travelling to Princess Diana’s final resting place – but they did not go to London due to those protection fears.
