Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left their royal life behind six years ago. Now, in a shocking twist, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly moving back to the UK. The reason behind it – and King Charles’ reaction to their decision – has now been revealed,
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal exit was met with considerable frustration and confusion. While many members of the public argued they did the right thing, others felt they ‘let the Crown down.’
The Duke’s relationship with his father, King Charles, and his brother, Prince William, deteriorated quickly, in part because of how he spoke about them in both interviews and his book Spare, revealing sensitive details about what was going on within the palace walls and how Harry felt he was treated.
Harry, Meghan, and the couple’s two children, Archie and Lilibet, settled in Montecito, California, where they have lived for several years. While the Duke has returned to the U.K. a few times since, his relationship with his family has remained at its lowest point.
However, a shocking new twist now appears to be taking shape. According to several news outlets, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to return to the UK later this month.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle set to move back to the UK – King Charles’ reaction
The couple are said to have already enrolled Archie and Lilibet in British schools and are expected to live in a non-royal home outside London.
The fact that the children are rumored to be already enrolled in school suggests that the couple has planned the move for some time. However, a Page Six source claims King Charles didn’t know anything about it until just days ago.
“The palace was made aware of the move,” a source told Page Six, explaining the main reason for the move. “I know that Charles is the reason they are moving back.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children met with King Charles last month during their visit to Highgrove. However, it’s understood they didn’t tell the king anything about the move at the time.
Now, however, CNN reports that Charles welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family “in a private and personal capacity.”
Per the Mirror, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue to do commercial and charitable work, remaining financially independent from the royals. Meanwhile, they will keep their Montecito, California home, as well as their holiday home in Portugal.
Source says Royal Family has been “blinsided”
How King Charles, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and the rest of the Royal Family will welcome their move back to the UK remains unknown. However, a royal source told the Mirror that they have been “blindsided” by the Sussexes’ move back.
“After saying that he could not see a situation safe enough to bring his wife and children to the UK just over a year ago, the fact Prince Harry is now fully prepared to not only visit but live in the country he left behind is extraordinary,” the source said.
“After saying that he could not see a situation safe enough to bring his wife and children to the UK just over a year ago, the fact Prince Harry is now fully prepared to not only visit but live in the country he left behind is extraordinary.”
The source added that while King Charles will be “delighted” to see his grandchildren more often, there are also concerns about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s “motivation” for the move.
“It is without question that the hybrid roles Harry and Meghan wanted before choosing to leave their royal roles behind will not be offered, which poses more questions as to what public role they will seek to carve out in the UK,” the source added.
Harry’s UK return will make it “harder,” for Prince William, expert claims
King Charles and Prince Harry’s relationship has been complicated, but the one between Prince William and his brother has been even worse. The two have reportedly not spoken for years, and whether the move will be a step towards making amends remains to be seen.
However, Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt told the Daily Mail, “In the long term, the return of the Sussexes to the UK opens up the prospect of two rival courts, William’s and Harry’s. In the short term, Harry will be able to deepen his rapprochement with his father.”
He added, “His presence back home will make it harder for his brother to duck a reconciliation. The surprise return of Harry and Meghan is likely to have left William apoplectic.”
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