Unsurprisingly, People Magazine’s cover story this week is about the royal news of the year: the Sussex family’s imminent return to the UK. Many Sussex fans criticize People’s royal coverage, but it’s worth noting that the Sussexes chose People Mag to break the story of their return last week. It feels like Team Sussex is partially behind this cover story too, even though People also quotes various commentators and royal sources. Even with Sussex-friendly sources speaking, it’s difficult to miss the fact that Prince Harry is the one driving this return and he’s doing so without really considering how his wife feels or the reality of the situation on the ground in the UK. Some highlights from this story:

They haven’t purchased a UK base: [They] will establish a private, nonroyal home base believed to be outside London — though they have not purchased a home — while retaining their residence in Montecito, Calif.

They’ve been planning this move for a year: “Step by step, they want to be in the U.K.,” a source close to Harry tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “They want to have the time and give the kids the opportunity to be here.” The move, sources stress, isn’t sudden. It has been in the works for about a year, and with Archie and Lilibet now school-age, those close to the couple say the timing increasingly made sense. “It’s something Harry has been thinking about for a while,” says a source close to the duke.

The Sussexes won’t be welcomed back: Harry and Meghan are returning to a skeptical British public, a relentless tabloid press and family relationships deeply damaged by the accusations they leveled after leaving royal life. “I don’t think they will be welcomed back with open arms,” says Queen Elizabeth’s former press secretary Alisa Anderson. “They will have to rebuild that trust and affection — with the family and the public.”

Harry wasn’t happy in California: Despite building a life in Montecito, Harry never fully found his footing there, according to sources in California. He struggled to establish a close social circle of his own and missed the longtime friends and community he had in Britain. “Harry never really stopped missing home. He’s missed that sense of connection and belonging. Britain is still home in many ways,” says a source close to the couple. The decision, however, was “taken as a family,” says another source.

How Meghan really feels: “Meghan feels very fortunate that they’re able to give Archie and Lilibet the opportunity to experience both worlds,” says a Montecito insider.

The move isn’t permanent: However, the move is not permanent, several insiders caution. Their $14 million Montecito estate remains home, they are keeping their vacation property in Portugal, and plans remain fluid. “It’s not necessarily a forever thing,” says a source.

Meghan’s return to acting: Insiders say the couple had been discussing Meghan’s return to acting for some time before the opportunity arose. Yet even the potential comeback has brought drama: Soon after news of the talks [for ‘The Gentlemen’] emerged, reports claimed the deal was already off — but PEOPLE understands the conversations remain ongoing, though nothing has been finalized.

How Meghan will handle living in the UK again: Britain is also where Meghan has said she became so isolated and unhappy as a working royal that she experienced suicidal thoughts. “My biggest concern is the level of media attention she’ll face in the U.K.,” says a source close to Meghan. “I’m worried for her.”

How it will be different for Meghan: This time, however, the circumstances are markedly different. Meghan returns not as a working royal navigating the palace hierarchy but with her own pursuits, team and support system — and greater control over her public life. “She has been vocal about how she felt about it before, but that doesn’t mean things are going to be exactly the same again,” says an ally. “It doesn’t mean it can’t be different and can’t change.” Another says her network is better prepared and “stronger now than it ever was to protect her — to protect them.”

Wales & Sussex overlaps: “It’s going to be very hard for the family to ignore their presence—the kids, especially,” says a California source. The same could prove true for Meghan and Kate. “There are bound to be moments where their worlds overlap,” says a source, “and everyone will be watching how those encounters unfold.”

[From People]

I’m getting the same things I’ve gotten from most of the other reporting and commentary: Harry was bound and determined to go back to the UK, regardless of what they did to his wife, regardless of how they’ve treated his family, regardless of the still complicated security situation. And I find that so unhealthy. Yes, there was never going to be a “perfect time” to go back there for a year, but it’s like Harry refuses to acknowledge that the Windsors were the ones engineering the imperfect (dangerous) conditions this whole time. They literally did NOT want the Sussexes to come back, especially in this way. Their goal was narrow: to force Harry to divorce his wife and come crawling back to them, begging to be a working royal. The only thing they didn’t predict was how much Meghan loves her husband, and her willingness to put herself and her children in this horrific situation.

Cover courtesy of People, additional photos courtesy of Cover Images.