Will the UK royal family welcome Harry and Meghan back? Expert urges couple to 'move slowly'

Six years after stepping back as working royals, Harry and Meghan are set to return to the UK within weeks with their two children, who are expected to start school in September, according to British media.

The family plans to live in a private residence outside London while keeping their homes in California and Portugal. Meghan is expected to continue running her As Ever company from the UK, while Harry will focus more on his UK-based charities.

Why Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal life

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have lived in California since stepping down as working royals in 2020.

Tensions with the royal family deepened following the publication of Harry's memoir Spare, in 2023.

In the book and a series of interviews, Harry and Meghan said they left Britain to escape the constraints of royal life, criticised palace officials over their treatment of Meghan's mental health, and alleged that a member of the royal family had raised concerns about their first child's skin colour.

Those tensions were exacerbated by Harry's legal battle with Britain's tabloid newspapers, which he alleges illegally hacked his phones and invaded his privacy when he was younger.

The prince has lost a series of lawsuits against the media, including one against the publisher of the Daily Mail, which concluded last month.

The latest trial has left Harry facing a potential bill for millions of euros after the court ruled he and other plaintiffs in the case were liable for the publisher's legal fees. Associated Newspapers has filed documents showing that its legal costs amounted to £34.5 million (€40.2 million).

Will the Royal Family welcome Harry and Meghan’s return?

Harry has recently expressed a desire for reconciliation with his family and to spend more time with his father, King Charles III, who is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.

Charles was reportedly informed of the couple’s plans on Sunday, but how the Royal Family will react remains unclear. Buckingham Palace does not comment on speculation concerning non-working royals, but some experts have offered their views on how the family may respond.

British royal expert Craig Prescott said Harry would need to take a patient and deliberate approach if he wants to rebuild his public role in the UK.

“If he really wants to come back to the UK and be a public figure again, then he will have to move slowly and deliberately to rebuild his presence here in the UK,” Prescott said, pointing to Queen Camilla’s popularity as an example of how such a transformation can take years.

Prescott also suggested the royal family may feel “a sense of exasperation” over the unpredictability of Harry’s decision, contrasting his approach with Prince William’s more considered planning.

The lecturer and writer warned that the media could once again pit Harry and Meghan against William and Catherine, and said the Palace would likely be concerned about the Sussexes overshadowing the monarchy’s work.

“They wouldn't want Meghan and Harry's presence in the UK here to overshadow the work of the monarchy,” he said.