Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to Great Britain six years after stepping down from official royal duties to live in North America.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have enrolled their seven-year-old son, Prince Archie, and five-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet, in British schools, where they will start classes next month.
While the specific names of the schools have not been disclosed, sources close to the couple confirmed that Archie and Lilibet are registered and ready to begin. The location of the family's new home also remains undisclosed, though sources confirmed they will not reside in a royal residence.
Prince Harry, who is fifth in line to the British throne, and Meghan Markle, a former American actress who starred in the legal drama series Suits, married at Windsor Castle in 2018. The couple formally stepped back as working members of the Royal Family in 2020 before relocating to California.
Confirmation of their move follows revelation of an Establishment plot, known as Project Thaw, supported by senior politicians and courtiers to facilitate their return. Buckingham Palace officials initially dismissed suggestions of official assistance following the couple's public criticisms of the Royal Family, while American supporters also rejected claims that the couple would leave the United States.
During a visit to Great Britain last September, Prince Harry discussed his children's future with close friends. As reported at the time in the Eden Confidential social diary in the Daily Mail, the prince expressed a strong desire for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to experience a British childhood similar to his own.
A close confidant of the prince stated: "I can tell you that Harry wants to educate the children here in the UK." The friend added: "Harry feels his children are missing out on the extensive family network that their niece and nephews are enjoying."
The reference was to the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales: Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight. All three attended the £32,000-per-year Lambrook School in Berkshire. Prince George is set to begin next month at Eton College, the historic Berkshire boarding school attended by both Prince William and Prince Harry.
British school enrollment
The friend continued: "Harry wants his children to have the very best education. He has retained his closest friendship group of confidants from his days at school at Ludgrove and Eton. He wants that for his own children."
Ludgrove School, an independent preparatory school for boys in Berkshire, and Eton College formed the foundation of Prince Harry's schooling. However, proposing a British boarding school education presented potential friction with Meghan Markle, who was reported to consider boarding schools barbaric.
The friend conceded that discussions were ongoing between the couple, noting: "There is still some negotiation for Harry to have with Meghan. The King, however, is delighted." The comment suggested Prince Harry had raised the educational plans with King Charles III as early as a year ago.
Although initial conversations were assumed to involve future secondary schooling, plans moved rapidly. Both Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, are now fully enrolled in British institutions to begin the upcoming academic term next month, though their precise locations remain secret.
Private visit to Highgrove
King Charles is said to welcome the move as an opportunity to spend more private time with his family. Last month, King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted the Sussexes at Highgrove House, the King's countryside estate in Gloucestershire.
Highgrove House, located near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, has served as the King's private family home since 1980. The gathering marked the first time the King had seen his California-based grandchildren in more than four years, and only his second meeting with Princess Lilibet.
Crucially, Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, did not meet with the Sussexes during the Highgrove visit. The relationship between the brothers remains fractured following the publication of Prince Harry's memoir Spare, which contained detailed allegations against William and Catherine.
Royal duties and financial independence
Prince Harry's autobiography Spare, released in January 2023, detailed long-standing personal grievances within the Royal Family. The lingering estrangement underscores ongoing tensions surrounding the couple's presence in the United Kingdom.
The return of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reopens long-standing debates over royal roles. When the couple first stepped back from duty, Queen Elizabeth II ruled that they could not combine public royal service with private commercial ventures, maintaining that doing so would damage public confidence in the monarchy.
While King Charles is not expected to grant them official working royal status, Prince Harry and Meghan plan to conduct charitable work while pursuing commercial projects in Great Britain. Critics warn that mixing private financial gain with public engagements creates a volatile situation for the institution.
Project Thaw and public standing
The move occurs while King Charles continues treatment for cancer, a medical diagnosis announced by Buckingham Palace earlier this year. Observers suggest that returning now provides the Sussexes an opportunity to solidify royal ties before Prince William eventually ascends the throne.
After failing to establish an influential alternative court in North America, Prince Harry and Meghan are seeking to re-establish their footing in Great Britain. The broader initiative to smooth their return, termed Project Thaw, was designed to mend relations between the Sussexes, the royal household, and the British public.
Although Project Thaw succeeded in returning the couple to Great Britain, it has not restored their public standing. Commentators argue that to truly regain public favor, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex must publicly reconcile with Prince William and Catherine and abandon commercial enterprise for a life dedicated to public service.
