The monarch was informed of the Sussexes’ plans on Sunday, PEOPLE understands, and welcomes the chance to spend more time with Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet

King Charles Learned of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Move Back to the U.K. Days Ago

The monarch was informed of the Sussexes’ plans on Sunday, PEOPLE understands, and welcomes the chance to spend more time with Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet

By
Stephanie Petit

and
Simon Perry

Published on August 19, 2026 05:38PM EDT

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry; King Charles.Credit : Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty; Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

King Charles is aware of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s plans to move back to the U.K., PEOPLE understands
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are relocating to Harry’s home country this month, and their children will attend school in the U.K.
The news comes just weeks after Harry and Meghan had a rare reunion with the King

King Charles was made aware of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s plans to relocate their family back to the U.K. on Sunday, PEOPLE understands, and welcomes the opportunity to spend more time with the Sussexes in a private, personal capacity.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing to return to Harry’s home country after six years in California, bringing Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, with them. Archie and Lilibet are set to attend school in the U.K. beginning next month as the family establishes a private, non-royal home base in Britain.

Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, will retain their home in Montecito, California, as well as their vacation property in Portugal. The location of the family’s new residence and the children’s school is being kept private.

While Harry will not return to official royal duties, PEOPLE understands, the family’s move inevitably raises fresh questions about his long-term role in Britain. However, the King is clear there will be no change to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s status as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family, in keeping with the wishes they expressed and the agreement reached when they stepped back from royal duties.

Prince Harry, Prince Archie, Princess Lilibet and Meghan Markle.Meghan, Duchess of Sussex/Instagram

The news of the move comes just weeks after Harry and Meghan had a rare reunion with the British monarch. The couple, along with their children, met with the King, 77, and Queen Camilla, 79, at Highgrove House, the monarch’s private country residence in Gloucestershire, England. It marked the first time the monarch had seen Archie and Lili in more than four years.

While Prince Harry has visited the U.K. solo on numerous occasions since relocating to California, the July reunion was only the third meeting between Harry and his father since the King’s 2024 cancer diagnosis.

Prince Harry and Meghan moved to the Duchess of Sussex’s home state of California in 2020 shortly after they stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family.

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Although the rift with the royal family lingered, Harry maintained that no issue was more important than security. After he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties, the couple lost their state-funded police protection, and Harry repeatedly said he did not feel it was safe to bring Meghan and their children to the U.K. without adequate security.

The long-running security dispute also weighed heavily on Harry’s relationship with his father. Those close to the Duke previously said King Charles was not taking his son’s calls or responding to his letters. The family’s return to Britain last month, however, appears to have marked a turning point, with father and son now understood to be in a much better place.