Exclusive: 7 Reasons Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Could Be Moving to the U.K., Per Royal Experts

When it was announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be leaving the United States and making a shocking move to Britain, the first question many people asked was “why now?”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior working royals in 2020 and seemed to be thriving in sun-soaked Montecito, California. But on August 19, multiple outlets confirmed that the couple had enrolled Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, in a U.K. school and would be establishing a non-royal residence for an “extended period” of time.

After news broke that Meghan had been offered an acting role in the U.K., the picture became clearer, but royal experts tell Marie Claire that there could be numerous other factors at play behind the Sussex family’s big (temporary) move.

Meghan's Career

Whether Meghan is starring in the upcoming season of Netflix’s The Gentleman remains to be seen, although People reported on August 24 that the Duchess of Sussex “remains in talks” to take part in the U.K.-based show, “despite recent reports to the contrary.”

If the duchess does officially sign on, it makes perfect sense for the family to base themselves nearby while Meghan films. As King Charles’s former butler and frequent royal commentator Grant Harrold tells Marie Claire, “These jobs can take months, and Meghan won’t want to be apart from Harry.” Speaking on behalf of CanadaCasino, Harrold continues that the move “could be huge for her acting goals, so I think Harry will be supportive.”

It Forces the Issue with William

Rachel Bowie, royals expert for PureWow and the former co-host of the "Royally Obsessed" podcast, says that Harry’s move could help push a potential reconciliation with his older brother, Prince William.

“The brothers famously haven't spoken in years and William especially seems to have zero interest in mending their relationship,” Bowie says. “But with Prince Harry local again, how long can William avoid the issue? That was perhaps a motive in Harry’s decision to return home.”

Noting that Prince Harry has “been quite open about his interest” in reconciliation with his family, Bowie says, “The U.K. is only so big. If Harry’s goal is to mend things with his brother, their proximity will likely be a repeated headline until William decides to, at least publicly, nip it in the bud.”

The 2027 Invictus Games

Next summer, Prince Harry’s Invictus Games will be heading to Birmingham, England, and he carried out a number of U.K. engagements in July to celebrate one year until the event. The games for wounded, injured and sick military veterans and armed services personnel are one of the Duke of Sussex’s biggest passions, and Harrold noted that the 2027 games “would be a key reason for the return, as they are in the U.K. next year.”

“Maybe Harry needs to be on the ground and needs to be here for some of the planning,” Harrold says. “Perhaps he feels that being here would make things easier and allow him to be more involved. Again, it ties in very nicely if Meghan has got this acting deal, because it means he can then focus on that while she's doing what she needs to do.”

Archie and Lilibet’s Education

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are growing up, and with Lilibet now of kindergarten age, they’re at a crossroads with their education.

“As any parent knows, the choice of school for our kids is not a decision that's entered into lightly,” Bowie tells Marie Claire. “The U.K. is also world-renowned for its options. We may not yet know where Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will attend school in Britain, but we can guess that this is a decision that Harry and Meghan considered at length.”

The royal expert continues that “the decision to be educated in the U.K. will help Archie and Lilibet better understand their modern roles within the monarchy, just as it has done for the royal family members who came before.”

As for timing, the children will start school in early September, and Bowie says that such a big decision can’t exactly be made on a whim. “We’d bet that news of their move had to come much sooner, at least privately, in order to ensure that security arrangements could be managed,” she shares, adding, “this had to be one of the bigger factors guiding their move.”

Missing Britain

Although Prince Harry has spoken positively about living in California, he often discusses his love for the U.K. in interviews—especially how he’d love to introduce his children to their roots. After spending six years in the United States, it might just feel like the right time for a change.

“He could, despite everything he's said, have suddenly thought, ‘Actually, I miss the U.K. I want to come back,’ and then started looking at the options and reasons for doing so,” Harrold says. “I think the last few trips to the U.K. may have reminded him just how much he misses being here.”

The former Highgrove House butler notes that after Prince Harry and his family spent time with his uncle Earl Spencer this summer, he might have felt some degree of homesickness. “Maybe it resonated with him and suddenly made him realize that he's given up his whole life to be in another country and it's a country that he didn't really know before,” Harrold shares.

Keeping the Memory of Diana Closer

As Harrold points out, Harry spent time at his mother’s childhood home, Althorp House, this summer while visiting his uncle, Earl Spencer. Keeping Princess Diana’s legacy alive is important to both Prince Harry and Prince William, and Bowie says that living in England again will give the Duke of Sussex the chance to “honor her memory more directly and in conjunction with his children, who are now older and better equipped to understand her impact on his life.”

“With the release of his memoir Spare, we know the effort Harry makes on a daily basis to keep the memory of his mother close,” she adds, pointing to the photos of the duke carrying flowers while walking with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet on the Althorp grounds, where Diana is buried.

More Time With King Charles

Harrold shares that he thinks being close to King Charles, who continues to battle cancer, “could be a very big part” of the move. “As the pair work to repair their relationship, I think Harry will want to spend as much time with his dad as possible,” he says.

Prince Harry recently reunited with his father and Queen Camilla at The King’s country estate, Highgrove House, and Harrold recalls fond memories of Charles and Harry interacting at the Gloucestershire home.

“Despite everything that's been said, Harry adores his dad,” Harrold shares. “When I was there, I witnessed the relationship between the two of them, and it was very fun and very comical. Harry used to do a lot of things to make his dad smile, and his dad used to do a lot of things to make Harry smile.”

“There's always been a strong bond between William and his dad as well, but William is the elder brother, so he's perhaps a little bit more able to take care of himself,” he adds. “I think Harry possibly got a little bit more of the extra love and attention.”