LONDON, United Kingdom — Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrived in Britain with their two children, British media has reported.
The family is returning as private citizens and will not undertake royal duties.
The couple and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, travelled privately from California and landed at Birmingham Airport around midday on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, according to reports cited by Reuters.
PA Media reported that the family travelled aboard a Bombardier Global Express XRS aircraft.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes declined to confirm their movements.
The arrival begins what British media have described as an extended period in the country, six years after the couple stopped working as senior members of the royal family and relocated to North America.
Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, have been enrolled in British schools for the new term beginning in September.
The family is expected to live in a privately owned residence outside London, with reports identifying the Cotswolds as a possible location.
The duke and duchess have not publicly disclosed where they will live or explained their longer-term plans.
A Return Without Royal Duties
The couple’s change of residence does not alter their status within the monarchy. They are not resuming official engagements on behalf of King Charles III and will continue to conduct their work independently.
They left Britain in 2020 after announcing that they would step back from senior royal responsibilities.
They subsequently cited tabloid intrusion, online harassment, racism within British institutions and difficult family relationships among the factors behind their departure.
Relations between the Sussexes and other members of the royal family became publicly strained in the years that followed.
The duke returned to Britain on several occasions without his immediate family, including for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 and his father’s coronation in 2023.
The entire family visited Britain during the summer, meeting the king and Queen Camilla at Highgrove, the monarch’s private residence in Gloucestershire. It was the first time in four years that the king, 77, had seen his grandchildren.
The Sussexes also visited members of the duke’s maternal family at Althorp House, the Spencer family estate in Northamptonshire.
The king was informed of the family’s planned return earlier this month. Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, were also told about the arrangements.
A person close to the Sussexes, when asked about their reasons for returning, referred to how much they had enjoyed their recent family visit but offered no further explanation.
Security Arrangements Remain Unclear
The family’s security has been a recurring issue since the duke and duchess stopped representing the monarch.
The Royal and VIP Executive Committee downgraded the duke’s taxpayer-funded police protection after his departure from official royal work.
Decisions about security during his subsequent visits have been made individually.
In 2025, the duke lost a Court of Appeal challenge against the Home Office over the decision.
After the ruling, he said he could not “see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.”
It remains unclear whether the security arrangements have since changed or who will meet the cost of any protection provided to the family.
The duke was awaiting a review by the committee’s Risk Management Board at the end of June.
A British government spokesperson previously described the country’s protective-security arrangements as “rigorous and proportionate.”
Charity, Business, and Legal Matters
The duke is expected to continue his charitable work while in Britain. Possible engagements include WellChild’s annual ceremony in support of seriously ill children and their families.
Preparations are also continuing for the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham in 2027.
The duchess’s recent Instagram activity indicates that she intends to continue developing As Ever, her lifestyle business.
A person familiar with discussions has also said that she is considering joining the third season of Guy Ritchie’s television series “The Gentlemen,” which is filmed in Britain.
Neither the possible acting role nor the couple’s broader professional plans in Britain have been publicly confirmed.
The return follows a legal setback for the duke and six other public figures in a privacy case against a British newspaper publisher.
The claimants, who include Sir Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, lost their case against Associated Newspapers Limited in the High Court in July. A judge subsequently ordered the group to make an initial payment of £9.5 million towards the publisher’s legal costs.
The claimants could ultimately face a reported bill of up to £34.5 million.
