After four days in London attending his court case against Associated Newspapers Limited, Prince Harry has sent a clear message: he wants to return home — and he wants Meghan Markle by his side. The Duke of Sussex is planning a more permanent return to the UK this summer, signalling a significant shift in his relationship with his homeland after years of estrangement and legal battles.
The royal couple have spent the better part of six years building their lives in California, but sources close to Harry suggest the wounds of exile are beginning to heal. What once seemed impossible now appears tantalisingly within reach, provided one crucial obstacle can be cleared: security. For Harry and Meghan, the question of whether it is safe to bring their two children back to British soil has been the crux of their hesitation.
Prince Harry, the prodigal prince, has returned to London to face the commencement of his trial in the United Kingdom’s tabloids.
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The Barrier to Home
Harry’s battle with the Home Office over his right to taxpayer-funded police protection has been tough. After losing his court fight last May and losing automatic 24-hour armed security, he petitioned the Home Secretary for a review. A risk management board is actively reconsidering his petition and is expected to make recommendations soon. Some reports suggest a decision is already ‘nailed on’, with police security set to be reinstated.
‘There have been talks when Harry was here previously,’ a source close to the duke told the Daily Express. ‘He said he wants to come home, but he has to make sure it is a safe place for his wife and his family. Meghan has issues about security and serious concerns about some really nasty trolls.’
The Home Office, however, is notably cautious about speculation regarding the outcome, insisting that no one can say with any certainty what the review will conclude. The timing of this security reassessment is crucial: Harry has signalled that any return to the UK with his wife depends entirely on whether proper protective measures are in place.
During a BBC interview in the aftermath of losing his security case, he stated it would be ‘impossible’ for his family of four to return. ‘I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point,’ he said plainly.
A Carefully Calculated Plan
Harry’s summer return appears to be a carefully orchestrated affair. The duke plans to attend the One Year to Go ceremony for the 2027 Birmingham Invictus Games at the start of July — an event insiders predict he will attend, having participated in every countdown ceremony since the games were launched in 2014.
Beyond that marquee engagement, sources claim Harry and Meghan are plotting something more intimate: a private family event with the royal family and a separate meeting with King Charles at a later date. When Buckingham Palace was approached about these plans, they flatly denied that any meetings were scheduled.
‘I would be astonished if they met this summer,’ a palace source stated coolly. Harry’s own team were equally sceptical, denying that discussions had taken place. Yet the source insisted the duke has been making arrangements of his own, independent of official channels.
The couple believe that the very public fall from grace of Prince Andrew at the end of last year has fundamentally shifted the landscape. ‘With Andrew and everything going on, it’s the perfect timing for them,’ the source explained. ‘It’s a very carefully, well thought out plan.’
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The Path to Reconciliation
During his earlier visit in September, Harry spent 55 minutes taking tea with his father at Clarence House. After years of escalating tensions — with Harry launching public criticism of the royal family from his Montecito mansion — the duke now appears ready to bury the hatchet. ‘I would love reconciliation with my family,’ Harry reflected in a May interview with the BBC. ‘There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.’
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King Charles, currently receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, seems inclined to accept this olive branch. The palace’s distance during Harry’s latest London visit — he was not granted meetings with the king or any senior royals — appears calculated rather than cold, with officials keen to avoid any appearance of impropriety while his nine-week libel trial against Associated Newspapers remains active.
Meghan’s Complicated Homecoming
For Meghan, the prospect of returning feels considerably more fraught. Her unpopularity ratings in Britain remain stubbornly poor, a legacy of years of hostility from sections of the press and public. The duchess has not set foot in the UK since attending the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022, and she has shown little enthusiasm for a return, having cited ill-treatment by media and public alike.
Yet she recognises that Britain is Harry’s home, and the source insisted she is willing to support his attempts to reforge his life there. If the security situation shifts, Meghan plans to join her husband in the UK this summer. The couple harbour hopes that she can gradually win back public affection through charitable work and royal engagements.
‘He hopes the public will warm to her so they can both return to the UK to undertake charitable engagements,’ the source said. Harry has been quietly conducting public engagements reminiscent of his time as a senior working royal, and wishes to continue supporting his remaining patronages in this manner — with his wife alongside him.
Timing and the Trials Ahead
Notably, all announcements regarding specific summer plans are on hold until at least spring, while Harry navigates his nine-week trial against Associated Newspapers. The publisher denies allegations of unlawful information gathering, a case Harry is pursuing alongside seven other high-profile figures. The duke is described as ‘doing what he needs to do’, but friends suggest he is eager to shift his focus toward rebuilding bridges at home.
The broader question remains whether the palace will reciprocate his efforts with genuine warmth or merely bureaucratic tolerance. What is clear, however, is that Prince Harry’s homecoming is no longer a question of if but increasingly one of when.