Prince Harry & Meghan’s Return To Britain Opens New School Chapter For Archie & Lilibet

Aug 21, 2026 by apost team

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are preparing to establish a family base in the United Kingdom, with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet expected to begin school there in September 2026.

The move represents a significant change for the Sussex family after more than six years based primarily in California. The Associated Press reported that Archie, born in London on May 6, 2019, and Lilibet, born in California on June 4, 2021, have been enrolled in British schools. Their school has not been publicly identified, helping preserve the children’s privacy.

For Archie and Lilibet, the change may be the most consequential. A British school, a home in their father’s country and greater proximity to extended family could shape their childhood while the Sussexes continue the independent path they chose in 2020.

Harry and Meghan are also expected to live in a private, non-royal residence rather than return to a royal property. According to AP and ABC News, the couple planned to retain their Montecito, California, home, meaning their return to Britain does not amount to abandoning their life in the United States.

The arrangement also does not signal a return to official royal duties. When Harry and Meghan stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2020, Buckingham Palace stated that they would no longer receive public funds for royal duties or formally represent the British monarchy. That status remains unchanged.

The family’s plans nevertheless create more opportunities for Archie and Lilibet to spend time in their father’s home country and with members of the royal family.

Britain already holds an important place in Archie and Lilibet’s family history. Archie was born in the U.K. in 2019, when Prince Harry and Meghan were living at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. The residence was renovated using £2.4 million from the Sovereign Grant, an amount the couple later reimbursed, according to official Royal Household financial records.

After stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan moved to North America and settled in Montecito. Lilibet was born in California in 2021. The children traveled to Britain together in 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, when King Charles, then Prince of Wales, met Lilibet in person.

Another family visit took place in July 2026. ABC News reported that King Charles and Queen Camilla met Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet in the U.K., marking the first known meeting between the King, Queen and the Sussex children since 2022. ABC also reported that Charles was informed of the family’s relocation plans in August 2026 and welcomed the prospect of seeing more of them.

Security remains one of the more sensitive aspects of Harry’s relationship with Britain. After his royal status changed, the committee responsible for protecting royals and public figures decided that he would no longer automatically receive the same level of publicly funded police protection. Harry challenged that decision, but the Court of Appeal dismissed his case on May 2, 2025.

The family’s future security arrangements have not been disclosed. For that reason, the move should not be interpreted as proof that Harry’s security concerns have been resolved.

What is clear is that schooling in Britain would give Archie and Lilibet a more regular connection to the country where their father grew up and where much of their royal family lives.

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Harry and Meghan’s return could give Archie and Lilibet a much stronger connection to their British roots. Do you think attending school in the U.K. will change the children’s relationship with the royal family? Let us know, and then pass this story along to other royal watchers and see what they think.