Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have ‘no plans’ to return to the UK despite crunch peace talks
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to have no plans to return to Britain permanently, despite a recent peace summit between their aides and King Charles’s staff in London.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex intend to remain in California, sources close to the couple have revealed, throwing cold water on speculation that recent diplomatic overtures might pave the way for their imminent return to the UK.
The disclosure comes after senior communications officials from both camps met at a London private members’ club last week, marking the first formal meeting between representatives of the feuding sides of the Royal Family in years.
A source close to Harry, 40, said: “They’re very happy living in and raising their family in California and, as it stands, have no plans to leave.”
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have ‘no plans’ to relocate back to the UK despite peace talks with King Charles
The statement appears to close the door on any speculation that the Sussexes might soon re-establish themselves in the UK, reported the Daily Mail.
The couple officially stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and have since built their life in Montecito, California, where they are raising their two children, six-year-old Prince Archie and four-year-old Princess Lilibet.
When the Sussexes initially left Britain, they stated they would divide their time between the UK and North America, but this arrangement quickly became untenable amid the family rift and Harry’s security concerns.
The couple officially vacated Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, their wedding gift from the Queen, in 2023.
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The Sussexes were said to be happy raising their young family in California
Harry has repeatedly stated he did not believe Meghan was safe in the UK, particularly after losing his appeal against the Home Office’s decision not to automatically provide police protection.
Since settling in the US, relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family have remained frosty.
Even still, Prince Harry said in a May interview that he “would love a reconciliation” with the Royal Family, but claimed the King “won’t speak to me because of this security stuff”.
The first sign of a potential thaw came last Sunday, when Tobyn Andreae, the King’s director of communications, met with Meredith Maines, head of Harry’s household in California.
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The news comes as representatives of Harry and his father met in London to discuss mending the royal rift
Harry and Meghan’s PR chief in the UK, Liam Maguire, was also present at the sit down.
The meeting took place at a London private members’ club, the Royal Over-Seas League, a short distance from the King’s London residence of Clarence House.
Maines, who was appointed to her role in March, had flown to the UK for meetings with businesses, charitable partners and journalists when the Palace meeting was arranged.
A source said: “Everyone just wants to move on and move forward now. It was finally the right time for the two sides to talk.”
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Representatives of William and Kate were not present at the crunch peace talks
While there appears to be some cause for optimism of rapprochement between Harry and his father, Prince William and Kate remain another story.
No member of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s team was present at the summit, as they were reportedly asked not to attend.
“It’s no coincidence that William and Catherine did not have a representative at the Royal Over-Seas League,” a friend of the royals revealed.
The insider explained: “They were not asked to send anyone and will be treating the talks with extreme caution.
“The fact that it ended up in the newspapers tells you all you need to know,” the source told the The Mail.
