LONDON – Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are returning to Britain, and with that comes a lot of questions.
Their return is set against a backdropof royal dramaand a longstanding rift within the family that is far from repaired.
The pair, who left the U.K. in 2020 and stepped back from their roles as working royals, are moving back to Harry's home country with their two children Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, who are due to start school in September.
The family could land on British soil by the end of the month. Here's a look at what we know about their bombshell return.
Why are Harry and Meghan moving back to England now?
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's decision to move back to the U.K. from California after six years stunned much of the world, sparking a range of reactions from confusion
to celebration.
Just last year Harry told the BBC that he could not "see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point,” citing security concerns, though he noted, "I love my country and always have done."
Many are now wondering where the U-turn came from, with some reports citing the king's cancer diagnosis as a possible reason for the move.
King Charles, 77, was diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and is still receiving treatment. The type of cancer he has is not publicly known. Harry's choice to bring his family back home means his two children will likely see more of their grandfather.
USA TODAY understands that the monarch learned of Harry's plans on Sunday, Aug. 16, and welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity.
Other reports say that Harry's visit home last month cemented the decision; the prince, who served in the British military, has long expressed love for his home country and spoken openly about missing it.
Where will Harry and Meghan live?
When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left Britain for California six years ago, they vacated their first official home in Windsor, known as Frogmore Cottage. It is unlikely the pair will opt to set up home in London, with Meghan avoiding the capital last month during her visit to Britain, amid security concerns.
The Telegraph reported that the family will not live in a royal residence. Meghan is expected to continue running her lifestyle brand As Ever from Britain. The couple are reportedly keeping their homes in California and Portugal.
Royal experts point to the Cotswolds, a scenic and quintessentially English area made up of rolling hills, castles and country houses as the top contender for the Sussexes location of choice. The couple lived in the area in 2018. Meghan also had her bachelorette party there in March 2018, shortly before the pair got married.
The rural area spans six English counties including Gloucestershire, where King Charles III and Queen Camilla often spend time at their private country residence of Highgrove.
The peaceful nature of the Cotswolds has long lured celebrities seeking privacy and a change of scenery away from the United States, including Ellen DeGeneres who bought a house there in 2024, citing President Donald Trump's election win as the catalyst for her move.
"The villages and the towns and the architecture - everything you see is charming and it's just a simpler way of life," DeGeneres said in 2025. "Everything here is just better – the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here."
British media reports that the couple may also consider a move to the Northamptonshire countryside, which surrounds Althorp House, the Spencer family estate and where Harry's mother, Diana, is buried. The family visited Althorp last month, with Meghan sharing photos of the children holding flowers on their way to Diana's resting place.
Does this mean Harry and Meghan will return to royal duties?
While the Sussexes are indeed coming home, they are not returning as working members of Britain's royal family.
Despite their homecoming there will be no alteration to their roles as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family, USA TODAY understands. For the king, there is no "half in/ half out" option, something Charles' mother Queen Elizabeth II reportedly felt strongly about.
Following their announcement to leave their roles and life in Britain, Harry and Meghan carried out their final royal engagement alongside Prince William and Princess Kate in March 2020.
At the time, the palace agreed to a 12-month review of the decision, to see if some common ground could be reached. It could not.
What happens with Harry and Meghan's security?
For years, Harry cited the "toxic" British tabloids and lack of taxpayer-funded security as reasons to not move Meghan and their kids back to Britain. The couple lost their publicly-funded security protection when they stepped back from their roles as working royals.
Harry has taken the matter to court, arguing that the risk remains to their safety, but three Court of Appeal judges ultimately ruled against him. The Sussex family has long used private security firms for protection.
During their visit to the U.K. last month, Meghan did not travel with Harry on the London portion of his trip amid security concerns. She later joined him in Gloucestershire, England, where the family of four met the king and queen for the first time in four years.
Now that the family are returning it remains unclear what their security arrangements will be. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Thursday, Aug. 20, that security arrangements for Harry and Meghan are "a private matter."
It remains unclear if an official review of the family's security will take place amid the move.
Will Prince Harry and Prince William reunite?
For the estranged brothers, Harry's return home may be a step towards reconciliation. But that could be far off.
The brothers, once extremely close, have only seen one another a handful of time in recent years and failed to meet last month despite being just 12 miles apart at one point during Harry's trip home. While Harry did reunite with his father, the lack of meeting between the brothers signified that cracks between them still run deep.
For William, Harry's 2023 autobiography "Spare," may also have played a part in the decision not to meet his younger brother. In the book, Harry accused William of physically assaulting him during an argument over Meghan in 2019.
Then there was the Oprah Winfrey interview, in which Harry and Meghan offloaded a string of explosive claims among them the allegation of racism within the royal family.
For future king William, he may decide he is better off maintaining a distance with his brother – even if they are both living in the same country.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's shock UK return – Everything we know
