Harry and Meghan return to UK after six years

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to the United Kingdom with their children, Archie and Lilibet, landing at Birmingham Airport on a private flight from California on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The move marks their first permanent return since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, a period often dubbed the 'Megxit' Source: The Telegraph via Listin Diario. A spokesperson for the couple declined to comment, saying, "This is not something we are going to comment on" Source: ABC.es.

The move

The family is expected to settle in a private property in the Cotswolds, outside London, and their children are already enrolled in a local school for the upcoming term Source: La Vanguardia. They will not resume official royal duties, living instead as private citizens and non-working members of the royal family Source: El Español. King Charles III was informed of the move earlier this month, though the couple did not discuss it during their July visit to Highgrove Source: Clarín.

Public reaction

Public opinion is divided. A YouGov poll for The Times found that 58% of Britons hope for a reconciliation between Harry and his brother, Prince William, but 35% consider it unlikely Source: La Vanguardia. The same survey showed that 71% believe the government should not fund the couple's security, and 87% think Harry and Meghan should cover the costs themselves Source: Infobae.

What's next

The couple's long-term plans remain unclear, but sources suggest they have been preparing this move for about a year, with Harry reportedly missing his home and community in the UK Source: El Confidencial. They will maintain their Montecito residence, splitting time between the two countries Source: El Confidencial.