Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will stay in a royal residence during their upcoming visit to the United Kingdom their first family trip to the country since 2022 raising hopes of a possible thaw in relations with the royal family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, CNN reports.
A palace source previously said the Sussexes had been offered accommodation on the royal estate for potential visits; this is the first time they have accepted. CNN understands the family will split time between an official royal residence and private lodging during their stay.
Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from senior royal duties in 2020 and relocate to California sparked a public rift with the royal family. The couple has cited tabloid intrusion, fraught family dynamics, and concerns over racism in British institutions as key reasons for their exit, detailed in interviews and Harry’s memoir. Since then, Harry has made several solo trips to the UK; Meghan joined him for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022, while Harry attended King Charles III’s coronation alone in 2023.
Relations showed signs of improvement last September when Harry and King Charles shared a private tea at Clarence House during the king’s cancer treatment their first meeting in 19 months. The pair have reportedly remained in contact, though Harry still appears to be estranged from his brother, Prince William. Harry also returned to London in January to attend court related to a lawsuit against a publisher over alleged unlawful information gathering.
