The above photo was taken this past April, during what amounted to a “roll call” of working royals at a palace reception honoring Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 100th birthday. The photo really shows the lack of star power within the rapidly ageing working-royal crew. This is what they wanted – no glamour, no star power, no charisma. Well, now that it’s been confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to live in the UK in the coming weeks, there’s obviously a big conversation about whether they will become “working royals” again. They will not. Buckingham Palace is having that fact folded into all of the reporting: while Harry and Meghan are coming back, they’re not coming back to join this motley working-royal crew.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to move back to the UK, BBC News understands.
Prince Harry and Meghan intend to relocate from the US later this month to a private, non-royal residence outside London as first reported by the Daily Telegraph and the Sun. The couple’s children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are enrolled to start at a British school in September.
King Charles was told of the move on Sunday. There are no current plans for either Prince Harry or Meghan to resume their roles as working Royals.
The Sussexes and their children visited the King at his Highgrove home in July this year, but it is understood the move was not discussed.
The BBC understands the King was unaware of the move before last weekend but he welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity.
No change is expected to the official status of Prince Harry and Meghan and they will remain as private individuals.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have also been informed of their plans.
The Daily Mail also emphasized the non-working-royal status of the Sussexes: “The family will move into a non-royal residence and will not be working royals.” The Mail also added this: “The King is clear that there will be ‘no alteration’ to the Duke and Duchess’s role and status as private individuals and non-working members of the Royal Family…Sources insist, however, it is not in the Sussexes’ ‘plan’ to return to the royal fold.” And the palace’s version (which they’re peppering into every report) is that the Sussexes’ move was not discussed when the Sussexes visited Highgrove last month. So… yeah. It’s going to be a huge mess, but parts of this are going to be hysterically funny as we watch non-working royals Harry and Meghan completely overshadow the working royals and steal all of the thunder.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Members of the British royal family during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth Featuring: (Left to right) The Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, the Princess of Wales, the Prince of Wales, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Prince Harry, King Charles III, Camilla Queen Consort, and Princess Anne The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen, Gun Carriage Procession, Wellington Roundabout, London, UK – 19 Sep 2022,Image: 724224245, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household to the Sovereign holds a small battery powered fan for King Charles III as he attends a London Climate Week reception, hosted by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), at St James’s Palace, London. Picture date: Wednesday June 24, 2026.,Image: 1112262155, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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- King Charles III during the Thistle Service at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, as part of the King’s visit to Scotland for Holyrood Week. Picture date: Wednesday July 1, 2026.,Image: 1113760097, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- (Left to right) The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland, King Charles III, Queen Camilla and the Duke of Edinburgh during the Thistle Service at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, as part of the King’s visit to Scotland for Holyrood Week. Picture date: Wednesday July 1, 2026.,Image: 1113760168, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- BOVINGTON, DORSET – JULY 06: King Charles III rides in a Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank during The Royal Tank Regiment’s Families’ Day at the Tank Museum on July 06, 2026 in Bovington, Dorset.,Image: 1114823704, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- (Strictly for editorial use only and available until December 12th 2018) In this handout image provided by Clarence House, HRH Prince Charles Prince of Wales poses for an official portrait to mark his 70th Birthday in the gardens of Clarence House, with Their Royal Highnesses Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Willliam Duke of Cambridge, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex, on September 5, 2018 in London, England.
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- AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND RIGHTS ONLY, London, – 2/14/2018 Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry at a coral reef health and resilience meeting in London. 71. -PICTURED: Prince Charles, Prince Harry -PHOTO by: www.INSTARimages.com -Instar_AUS_PrCharles_PrHarry_MMarkle_Coral_Reef_Meeting_London_20091 Editorial Rights Managed Image – Please contact www.INSTARimages.com for licensing fee and rights: North America Inquiries: email sales@instarimages.com or call 212.414.0207 – UK Inquiries: email ben@instarimages.com or call + 7715 698 715 – Australia Inquiries: email sarah@instarimages.com.au or call +02 9660 0500 Ð for any other Country, please email sales@instarimages.com. Image or video may not be published in any way that is or might be deemed defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene / Please consult our sales department for any clarification or question you may have – http://www.INSTARimages.com reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this image or video. If you are in violation of our intellectual property you may be liable for actual damages, loss of income, and profits you derive from the use of this image or video, and where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or statutory damage. Featuring: Prince Charles, Prince Harry Where: London, United Kingdom When: 14 Feb 2018 Credit: www.INSTARimages.com **AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Royal family on the balcony during Trooping the Colour 2026 ceremony in celebration of King Charles III’s official birthday Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William of Wales, Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Edward Duke of Edinburgh, Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Princee Edward Duke of Kent, Prince Richard Duke of Gloucester, Brigitte Duchess of Gloucester Where: London, United Kingdom When: 13 Jun 2026 Credit: Mischa Schoemaker/Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Royal family during Trooping the Colour 2026 ceremony in celebration of King Charles III’s official birthday Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis Where: London, United Kingdom When: 13 Jun 2026 Credit: Mischa Schoemaker/Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Anti-monarchists stage a rally chanting “Not My King” and “Down with the Crown” calling for an abolition of the British royal family during Trooping the Colour celebrations to mark the King’s official birthday Featuring: Atmosphere Where: London, United Kingdom When: 13 Jun 2026 Credit: Amer Ghazzal/Cover Images
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- Anti-monarchists stage a rally chanting “Not My King” and “Down with the Crown” calling for an abolition of the British royal family during Trooping the Colour celebrations to mark the King’s official birthday Featuring: Atmosphere Where: London, United Kingdom When: 13 Jun 2026 Credit: Amer Ghazzal/Cover Images
More to the point, the Sussexes refuse to alter their status as independent private citizens. That creaky toxic ‘working royal’ ship has sailed and the RF is the poorer for it.
@Teddy…EXACTLY! The moves the Sussex have made in the last 6 years gives them the FREEDOM to do WTF THEY WANT…which is WHY the 🇬🇧 Royal Family & Rota cannot STAND THEM..
Exactly. But I won’t be surprised if we see the press eventually start complaining that Harry and Meghan should be helping the family.
There has been some speculation that, when Harry visited Charles in 2024 after his cancer announcement, that Charles asked Harry to come back as a working royal and Harry said no.
I wonder if that answer hasn’t changed, but it was used as sort of stepping off point to discussions about a return to the UK, period.
H&M could turn the whole sh*tshow on its head by being working non-royals. Abolish the damn monarchy! This is all so absurd.
I am disappointed by this move annd also, believe that “non-working” status allows them greater flexibility. They are merely prominent but still, private, citizens who pay their own way and thus don’t owe anything to anyone presently drawing a salary from Buckingham or Kensington. It would be a smart move for Harry and Meghan to publicly state their LACK of dependence on the Crown’s funds and their separate, private offices to therefor draw clear lines between what the press can cover as public interest vs. what info the press feels “entitled” to as the rota.
Yeah, it’s clear that Harry and Meghan have no interest in returning to the royal fold. The derangers and the British press can relax about that.
Harry is a member of the BRF and any and every thing he does while in England will be judged against his status as a ‘royal’. We all have to wait and see how this plays out but Prince Harry has every right to resume royal duties and his loyalty to his father makes this more than plausible.
But the majority of the Royal Family don’t carry out royal duties. It’s already been reported that Harry and Meghan will remain non-working royals and private citizens. Plus Harry is apparently going to launch his own commercial venture.
Harry is rumored to be starting a commercial venture and we are expected to believe he’ll remain a non-working royal? The two don’t add up. What tickles me is how stubbornly resistant so many people are about H&M moving back to England. As recently as last year Harry went on record about how the lack of UK security endangered his family and how Meghan was hounded by the press, while at the same time saying how much he wanted his kids to experience their British heritage. Harry is getting everything he wanted and I only hope he’s prepared to deal with the media’s new access to his wife and children.
So I think there is another shoe to drop here. My money is on an announcement of a prestigious job or appointment for Harry with some veteran or child welfare organization. There has to be something big enough (and perhaps lucrative enough) to draw them back to the UK. My first thought was that it was due to Charles’ health, but given he got practically no notice before the news “leaked,” I don’t think that’s it. But whatever it is is going to make the whole royal eco-system absolutely meltdown. And that alone will be worth watching. Get the popcorn, y’all.
It’s already being reported that Harry plans to launch a commercial venture involving veterans.
I’m actually flabbergasted at the sheer volume of people who feel betrayed by Harry and Meghan choosing to spend some time in the UK. They make it sound like Harry came home one afternoon and told Meghan to start packing because Harry has decided to move back and slap William’s face a few times. I’m sure Meghan and Harry discussed it before and after their trip to the UK this summer. They enjoyed showing their children where Daddy grew up and meeting extended members of the family. Charles may be sicker than we realize. The bottom line is that it’s a decision by Harry and Meghan for their family. They have betrayed no one and owe no explanation as to why they are making this choice. The royals will not have any say in how they live, where they live or what activities they choose to partake in. Let them live their lives as they choose.
💯!!
“The royals will not have any say in how they live”. Seriously? They’ve been commenting on their personal lives ever since they left England. Where they live, where they shop and where the kids go to school will be headline news every single day.
Thank you for this comment! The hand wringing and caveating is so extra. So much has changed for them in 6 years and they have decided that this is what they want to do right now. The British tabloid harassment has not relented in the 6 years they were away so being back won’t change it.
This Is probably one of the reasons Meghan agree to this with her husband. They would remain, none working royals and would retain their independence from those gutter rats. They appear to be financially solvent, therefore, no need to put up with those gutter rats nonsense. Also, this will give their children time to learn about their father’s heritage.
No change in their private citizen status is for the Sussexes protection bc William has been fearful for sometime that the Firm contemplated a Regency where Harry would serve as head of state until George was of age. That’s why the Sussexes were attacked so aggressively so that that possibility was made unworkable.
How does this help with security though?
My first thought was this has got to be some tabloid fiction, second though – WHY?
Now I’m at the stage where I just hope they get privacy and the tabloids don’t make their lives hell again.
I guess we just have to wait and see how this unfolds.
The problem, in my opinion, is that Harry does not seem to fully understand the system he nevertheless continues to glorify. He is deeply attached to the monarchy, but he seems to have a much harder time questioning the ideology and worldview that have historically accompanied this institution. The British monarchy cannot, however, be separated from the history of British colonialism and imperialism, which were based in particular on systems of exploitation, domination, and racial and social hierarchy.
Harry seems to have internalized a worldview that is deeply shaped by this legacy. In that respect, he is probably not that different from William: they both grew up in the same aristocratic environment, with the same education and within an institution that gave them a particular understanding of Britain and its place in the world. Their difference may therefore lie more in how they each seek to preserve and embody the monarchy than in their fundamental relationship to it.
This is what makes Harry’s behavior so difficult to understand. He seems capable of recognizing the toxic behavior of certain members of his family, but without being able to question the social system in which they operate. Charles may have deeply hurt Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet, and yet Harry still seems to consider it essential that his children know their grandfather, their paternal family, and the aristocratic world from which he comes.
This is where, in my opinion, the fundamental contradiction lies: Harry seems to want to protect his children from the most toxic aspects of the monarchy while simultaneously wanting to pass on a sense of belonging to that very institution. He wants them to know their British family, to have a connection to the monarchy, and to retain a place, even if only symbolically, within that world. One could almost say that he wants them to remain more British than American, in a cultural and symbolic sense.
And Meghan does not seem to have been much better prepared than Harry to understand these dynamics. As an American, she grew up in a different historical context and probably did not receive enough education about the particularities of the British system, especially its relationship with social class, aristocracy, colonialism, and imperialism. This may help explain why she was able to enter that world without fully understanding the nature of the institution she was confronting.
This is also why I can intellectually understand Harry’s decision to return to the UK, even though I find it very difficult to approve of it. His attachment to his family and to the monarchy helps explain why he wants his children to know their British heritage. But I strongly doubt that it is possible to preserve only the positive aspects of that world while avoiding its most toxic mechanisms.
Personally, I find it very difficult to imagine the tabloids actually leaving them alone for an entire year. I also doubt that the paparazzi would simply stop trying to obtain photographs of the children, or that tensions with certain members of the family would suddenly disappear. There is no guarantee that the dynamics that contributed to their departure have actually changed.
And if the same problems were to resurface, I doubt that the public would show them the same sympathy as before. They have already explained the reasons for their departure; if they now voluntarily choose to return to that environment, some people will inevitably accuse them of putting themselves back into the same situation. They could therefore once again face racism, sexism, and media harassment, while this time being told that they knew perfectly well what they were exposing themselves to.
That is precisely what leaves me perplexed. Harry seems to want to protect his family from the system while simultaneously wanting his children to remain part of it, at least symbolically. He has distanced himself from certain people and practices, but he does not seem to have completely deconstructed the worldview that was passed on to him. And as long as he remains deeply attached to that sense of belonging, it is difficult for me to imagine a genuine break with the institution and everything it represents.
@Line: I have been trying to say this all morning. You said it so much better. I wish I could cosign your brilliant comment a million times! 👏👏👏
Brassy Rebel : Thank you so much, Brassy Rebel! ❤️ I’m really glad my point came across. I actually think I understand Harry’s decision quite well. What surprises me is that so many people find it difficult to understand.
I think part of the problem is that Harry and Meghan have built a community around themselves that is either deeply anti-monarchist or simply has very little interest in the monarchy. From that perspective, Harry’s desire to return to the UK and maintain a relationship with the institution can seem completely irrational.
In a way, I don’t think Harry has truly broken the dysfunctional Windsor cycle. He physically stepped away, but he never completely detached himself from the family system or from the importance he places on the monarchy.
That is very different from someone like Brooklyn Beckham, who appears to have completely broken away from his family and rejected much of what he was raised and conditioned to believe.
Once you understand that, his decision becomes much easier to understand, even if you completely disagree with it. ❤️
I believe that Harry’s insistence on reconciling with his “dogshit” father, as Kaiser calls him, comes from his deep attachment to the monarchy and its culture which you have described so well. It’s in stark contrast to Meghan’s complete estrangement from her own father who is, arguably, not as bad as Charles. As I argued in another post, Harry is trying to reconcile two competing and contradictory values systems: egalitarian values and royal values. They can never align because they are mutually exclusive. Thank you again for analyzing this so clearly.
Always expect the unexpected. And within a few moths of the move, they’ll become working royals, again…
This is the part that needs to be said out loud. Anyone who thinks that Prince Harry, son of the current King of England, won’t use his royal privilege to support British charities doesn’t understand how the monarchy works.
I sincerely hope their status doesn’t change. We’ve talked a lot about Meghan protecting her peace in Montecito. I hope she’s able to do the same in England.
Speaking with presenter Manish Bhasin, Victoria Ward, deputy royal editor at the Daily Telegraph, said there was “definitely more to come” on this:
“I can’t give away all my secrets. But suffice to say, it’s been something that we’ve been talking about, that I’ve been aware of, in some form for quite a long time.”
Ward wouldn’t say whether the story came from the school Archie and Lilibet were enrolled in, the Royal Family or the Sussexes after The Daily Telegraph and The Sun broke the story last night.
Ward added:
“I also think that [the Sussexes] didn’t actually necessarily want this to come out in the way it has quite now. I think they were hoping to keep it under wraps for another week or two until they were actually here, but the cat’s out of the bag, and therefore they were forced to tell the King maybe slightly earlier than they even wanted to.”