The plot twist that no one saw coming: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to return to the UK six years after leaving for America. The change of heart comes after Prince Harry and his family met up with King Charles over the summer, but this major move appears to have been in the works for a while. When the Sussexes stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and relocated to Montecito, they made their stance pretty clear. They have since shared their grievances about the UK and life behind closed doors with the royal family. Here are the downsides of UK living, according to Harry and Meghan.
Feeling stuck in the royal institution
During Harry and Meghan's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the Duke admitted he felt "trapped" within the royal family. "I was trapped, but I didn't know I was trapped. Trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are. My father and my brother, they are trapped. They don't get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that."
© Photo: Getty ImagesMeghan agreed that she felt "silenced" in her role as a royal. "I've always valued independence. I've always been outspoken, especially about women's rights. I mean, that's the sad irony of the last four years is, I've advocated for so long for women to use their voice, and then I was silent." Host Oprah then clarified: "Were you silent or were you silenced?" to which Meghan replied, "The latter".
A year later, Meghan sat down with The Cut and their departure from the royal family was mentioned. She explained they were "happy" to leave. "Because just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy. So we go, 'Okay, fine, let's get out of here. Happy to'."
Ongoing safety concerns
Prince Harry's bitter security battle has been going on since 2020 when his level of protection was lowered as he was no longer a working royal. The Duke has taken issue with this decision, approaching the Home Office for enhanced security arrangements for him and his family while in the UK.
Prince Harry wrote a statement which was read out in the High Court in London in December 2023, explaining he didn't want to put his wife and children in "danger".
© Instagram"It was with great sadness for both of us that my wife and I felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020. The UK is my home. The UK is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the US. That cannot happen if it's not possible to keep them safe when they are on UK soil. I cannot put my wife in danger like that and, given my experiences in life, I am reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm's way too."
In an ITV interview in 2024, Harry spoke again about the dangers in the UK. "It's still dangerous, and all it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read. And whether it's a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It's one of the reasons why I won't bring my wife back to this country."
UK press intrusion
© AFP via Getty ImagesAnother prolonged issue for Harry has been his rocky relationship with the UK press. In 2023, Harry addressed the psychological toll of relentless media coverage: "I felt that I couldn't trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me, especially at such a young age... Every time I've been in a relationship... third parties were present."
Speaking at a Mental Health Roundtable Event in 2026, Meghan also highlighted her issue with "cruel" press and social media coverage. "Every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the entire world... You have to realize that industry - that billion-dollar industry - is completely anchored and predicated on cruelty to get clicks. That's not going to change, so you have to be stronger than that."
© InstagramThe Duchess singled out school pick-up as being easier in the States compared to the UK. In The Cut interview, she expressed that she would be subject to a media pen of photographers at a British school, adding: "Sorry, I have a problem with that. That doesn't make me obsessed with privacy. That makes me a strong and good parent protecting my child."
The American Dream
Until now, the Sussexes have seemed quite content with their life in the sunshine with an A-list-worthy mansion and much-welcomed privacy. In a Today show chat in 2022, Prince Harry was quizzed if America felt like home for him. He said: "Home for me now is, for the time being, it's in the States. And it feels that way as well. We've been welcomed with open arms. And it's got such a great community up in Santa Barbara."
© InstagramWhile we don't know what has changed to make Prince Harry U-turn on his decision, it could well be to do with his father King Charles undergoing cancer treatment and his ill health in the past few years.
