LONDON (AP) 鈥� The royal family鈥檚 long-running American soap opera is The question is whether it will blossom into a happy reunion or descend into anger, division and chaos.
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, to the United Kingdom from California in a matter of weeks. They have already enrolled their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, in British schools so they can start the autumn term with their classmates.
小萝莉影视 of the surprise decision, which broke late Wednesday in stories published by the Telegraph and Sun newspapers, has sparked widespread discussion about where the couple will live, who will pay for their security and whether they will return to royal duties one day.
But perhaps the most difficult issue is whether can repair his once-close relationship with Prince William, the heir to the throne, which was decimated by Harry鈥檚 very public complaints of mistreatment at the hands of Buckingham Palace staff, racism in the royal family and the failings of the monarchy. There are also concerns that Harry and Meghan could try to upstage William and his wife Catherine, when they once again
鈥淭hat will be something for the palace to deal with 鈥︹�� Craig Prescott, an expert on the U.K. constitution and the monarchy at Royal Holloway University of London, told The Associated Press. 鈥淭hey wouldn鈥檛 want Meghan and Harry鈥檚 presence in the U.K. here to overshadow the work of the monarchy, and there will have to be some discussion and allowance for that.鈥�
Harry and Meghan wanted their children to grow up British
The couple are expected to live at a private, nonroyal residence outside of London and they won鈥檛 resume their royal duties, which they gave up when they moved to the exclusive Southern California community of Montecito six years ago, British media reported late Wednesday.
Their return to the U.K. comes as King Charles III, Harry鈥檚 77-year-old father, continues to undergo treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer that was discovered in 2024. The prince said last year that he didn鈥檛 know 鈥渉ow much time my father has left,鈥� and has expressed a desire for his children to have a chance to get to know their grandfather.
While Harry and Meghan鈥檚 decision is a surprise to many, royal historian Ed Owens said recent events created a pathway for the couple’s return.
First, Harry spoke of his desire for reconciliation, then there was the apparently successful meeting and their children last month at Charles鈥� Highgrove estate in western England. In addition, there is Harry鈥檚 stated desire for his children to grow up British and that the U.K. looks like a safer place to be right now, given the divisions in American society, said Owens, author of 鈥淎fter Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?鈥�
Royal experts expect Charles to forgive Harry
Finally, Owens said he expects Charles to forgive Harry because as the supreme governor of the Church of England he has to demonstrate the teachings of Christianity, including the virtue of forgiveness.
William may find forgiving his brother more difficult, but someday he too will become head of the church, Owens said.
鈥淚t may be that privately William never fully forgives his younger brother for what he deems the betrayal of the family,鈥� Owens told The AP. 鈥淏ut publicly,鈥� he will, 鈥渂ecause for traditional moralists, traditional Christian values, they demand that there is this public act of forgiveness, that there鈥檚 reconciliation between the brothers.鈥�
Charles was informed of Harry and Meghan鈥檚 plans on Sunday and the matter wasn鈥檛 discussed during to the U.K.
Relations have been strained in the House of Windsor
Relations between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the royal family have been strained since the couple gave up their royal duties and moved to California in 2020 to earn their own living. The couple later signed lucrative contracts with Netflix and Spotify.
The rift deepened after the couple gave a series of interviews and Harry published his explosive memoir in which he said they left Britain to escape the restrictions of royal life. The couple also criticized palace officials for being insensitive to Meghan鈥檚 mental health and alleged at least one member of the royal family had expressed racist views when she was pregnant with their first child. Meghan describes herself as biracial.
Oprah Winfrey asked Harry to summarize his reasons for leaving Britain in a 2021 interview that was broadcast around the world.
鈥淟ack of support and lack of understanding,鈥� he replied.
Strains are exacerbated by long-running battles with the newspapers
Those tensions were exacerbated by Harry鈥檚 long-running legal battle with Britain鈥檚 tabloid newspapers, which he alleges illegally hacked his phones and invaded his privacy when he was younger. The courtroom drama seemed to be nearing an end after Harry and other plaintiffs lost their lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail last month.
That case left Harry facing a potential bill for millions of pounds after the court ruled the plaintiffs were liable for the publisher鈥檚 legal fees. Associated 小萝莉影视papers has filed documents showing that its costs amounted to 34.5 million pounds ($47 million).
Harry has also been embroiled in a legal wrangle with the British government after a government committee refused to authorize police protection for him and his family when they are in the U.K. The prince says they need armed police protection because they are at risk as members of the royal family, regardless of whether they are working royals.
The couple鈥檚 security arrangements are a 鈥減rivate matter鈥� for Harry and Meghan to deal with, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said when asked about the issue on Thursday.
in May 2025, the prince said he hoped to reconcile with his family while continuing to vent his anger at those in Britain he feels have mistreated him and his wife.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point,鈥� he told the BBC at the time. 鈥淎nd the things that they鈥檙e going to miss is, well, everything. You know, I love my country. I always have done, despite what some people in that country have done.鈥�
Although much of the media attention on Harry and Meghan has focused on family tensions and recriminations in recent years, Owens suggested that the story may now shift to the royal鈥檚 efforts to rebuild family harmony.
鈥淚 think time is a great healer. It creates space in a social media-saturated world,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople are always looking for the next thing to talk about and, arguably, that will be reconciliation between first of all father and son, and then potentially the two brothers.鈥�
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