The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to move back to Britain.
The family intends to relocate from the US later this month to a private, non-royal residence thought to be outside London, The Telegraph revealed.
It has also been reported that the couple’s children – Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 – are both enrolled to start at a British school in September.
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Is a September heatwave around the corner?
The UK is currently in a much-needed cooler period after the heatwaves of July and early August, but the Met Office has suggested that we could see high temperatures return going into September.
Caption: A walker protects themselves from the sun on the scorched grass of Hyde Park, in central London on August 9, 2026, as another heatwave threatens the capital this week. England and Wales recorded the driest July since records began. Some counties across England saw less than one millimetre of rain during the entire month of July. (Photo by Peter Nicholls / AFP via Getty Images)
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Heatwave ‘can’t be ruled out’
The Met Office has predicted there is a “chance that late-season hot spells or heatwaves develop, especially in the South” in the first 12 days of September.
Caption: DORCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 10: An aerial view of the dried out ground of Maiden Castle Iron Age hillfort, on August 10, 2026 in Dorchester, United Kingdom. Drought has been declared across seven areas of England; East Anglia; Hertfordshire and the whole of London; Thames Valley; Hampshire & the Isle of Wight; Devon & Cornwall; the West Midlands; Wessex (covering Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire). (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
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Caption: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – AUGUST 13: People seek relief from extreme heat as temperatures reach 36????C in London, United Kingdom on August 13, 2026. The UK Met Office issued an amber heat warning for London and several other areas due to the high temperatures. (Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Niamh Murray, an operational meteorologist at the Met Office, said a September heatwave “can’t be ruled out” but that it was too soon to say “with any real confidence” if it will happen, as temperatures will naturally drop as we head towards autumn.
A dry autumn
Despite showers expected throughout the rest of August, the Met Office’s long-range forecast indicates that autumn is likely to be drier than average.
This means there is little chance that the drought situation will be alleviated, with the Environment Agency suggesting that “weeks of above-average rainfall” will be needed.
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Cutting bills could be used as an incentive to reduce water usage as millions of people live in drought
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What UK can learn from Europe about using water bills to fight drought
Some water companies across England are trialling tiered billing systems which leave heavy water users facing higher prices for every drop – all in a bid to protect supplies from dwindling.
Caption: JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND – AUGUST 11: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after stepping off Air Force One on August 11, 2026 in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Trump was asked about the secret decoy flight he took out of Turkey in a military aircraft. The president was returning to Washington, DC after traveling to Ohio to attend the 2026 Patriot Games. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Everything you need to know about the US midterms
On 3 November, voters from all over the United States will cast their ballots in the midterm elections, which could reshape Congress and make it harder for Donald Trump to pass policy.
Who is up for election?
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress, and around a third of the 100 seats in the Senate (the upper house). Trump’s Republican Party currently holds a slim majority in both.
Caption: WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 12: The U.S. Capitol building is seen at sunset on August 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
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Caption: ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 13: U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks onstage at “The New Power Structure: Black Politics in the Age of Resistance” panel during the 2026 National Association of Black Journalists Convention at Atlanta Marriott Marquis on August 13, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Nykieria Chaney/Getty Images)
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To take control of the House, the Democrats, who are favoured to win here, will need to win three seats, whereas in the Senate, it will be more difficult, with them needing to net four seats.
Why do they matter?
While Trump’s name will not be on the ballot, the midterms are viewed by many as a referendum on the US President, who will be a major influence on how many voters approach this year’s midterms.
Perhaps more importantly, if the balance of power in Congress shifts to the Democrats, Trump would become a “lame-duck” President and struggle to push through legislation.
Analysis
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History does not favour Trump
The incumbent party is usually predicted to lose the midterms, with the president’s party only gaining congressional seats four times since 1902.
The trend is unlikely to change for Trump, who has become an especially divisive President with a current approval rating of -23 per cent.
Caption: US President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Monday that would recommend breaking up the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three separate shots and unilaterally overhauling the national childhood vaccination recommendations. Photographer: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Will Trump let himself lose?
Many commentators have predicted Trump will lose the midterms, but this is not a typical President, and these elections may set off a new threat to American democracy.
Caption: WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 17: Virginia National Guard soldiers are issued their M4 rifles and live ammunition on the east front of the U.S. Capitol on January 17, 2021 in Washington, DC. After last week’s riots at the U.S. Capitol Building, the FBI has warned of additional threats in the nation’s capital and in all 50 states. According to reports, as many as 25,000 National Guard soldiers will be guarding the city as preparations are made for the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th U.S. President. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
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Trump’s rhetoric and actions have drawn widespread concerns about how he might seek to overrule the will of voters and challenge results he doesn’t like.
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Trainline and Virgin Atlantic investigated for ‘drip pricing’
Caption: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 12: A Virgin Atlantic Airline plane is taxiing to takeoff from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving school are all under investigation for “drip pricing” – where mandatory charges are added on separately from the headline price, or added later in the buying process.
A wider crackdown
The investigations come as part of a wider crackdown by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over concerns that customers were not being shown the total price upfront.
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Why companies do it
“Drip pricing” leaves customers facing unexpected costs and can affect competition between businesses, as a firm can falsely present cheaper prices than a competitor to attract more customers.
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If the CMA finds there has been a breaking of the law, it can force businesses to pay compensation to affected customers and fine them up to 10 per cent of their global turnover.
The firms being investigated
Trainline is being investigated over booking fees for coach and train tickets imposed at checkout.
Virgin Atlantic is being investigated over whether mandatory resort fees and local taxes are included in the upfront prices of their package holidays.
Red Driving School is being investigated for how a mandatory booking fee and “digital” fee have been charged to customers booking driving lessons.
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What the companies have said
Caption: A lphone showing the Trainline app button. Trainline has revealed it made a record amount from ticket sales last year, but its share price plummeted on Thursday amid concerns over Government plans for a rival national ticketing app. Picture date: Thursday March 13, 2025. PA Photo. The London-listed firm made ?5.9 million from selling tickets in the year ending February, 12% up from the year before but at the bottom end of guidance given in October. Trainline makes most of its money by taking a commission on ticket sales for coach and rail journeys, and benefitted from fewer train strikes last year than in 2023. See PA story CITY Trainline. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
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Trainline
“We are taking proactive steps to enhance how certain fees are presented to our customers.”
Virgin Atlantic
“We are reviewing the points raised by the CMA carefully and will co-operate fully with its investigation.”
Caption: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 12: A Virgin Atlantic Airline plane is taxiing to takeoff from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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There has been an increase in people being scammed online for driving tests and lessons (Photo: David Jones/PA)
Red Driving School
“[We] always values both transparency and consumer satisfaction in all of our interactions with our customers.”
The move comes over six years after Harry and Megan left the UK in search of financial independence.
Here’s everything we know…
Will Harry and Megan resume their duties?
There are currently no plans for either the Duke or Duchess of Sussex to return to their official working roles within the Royal family.
However, the move raises the possibility that the couple could return to their posts in the future.
A 2021 review presented to the late Queen Elizabeth II confirmed the couple had been stood down as working royals.
The then Queen said Harry and Megan could not maintain a “half-in, half-out” approach to royal duties while also pursuing commercial opportunities.
The couple, though, believe they have since proved the “half-in, half-out” model does work.
What has been the King’s reaction?
King Charles was informed of the couple’s move on Sunday, however, it was reportedly not discussed when the Sussexes visited him at Highgrove in July.
Sources say Charles is welcoming the opportunity to see more of the family in a private capacity (Photo: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
It is understood the King is pleased for the opportunity to see his family on a regular basis, both in a private and professional capacity.
However, the King is clear that the Duke and Duchess’s status as non-working royals and private individuals, in keeping with their previously expressed wishes, will remain unchanged.
Harry was already due to visit the UK in mid-September for his patronages including a WellChild Awards bash, and had been offered a room at Buckingham Palace.
It is understood that both the Prince and Princess of Wales have also been informed of the move.
What arrangements are being made?
Security arrangements for the Duke and Duchess have not yet been disclosed. Until now, Harry had insisted that he would not feel safe bringing his family back to the UK without police protection, which the state has consistently denied him.
In a statement, a Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate”.
“It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”
Harry has previously said he would not feel safe in the UK without police protection (Photo: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
It is understood the Home Secretary will not take part in any individual decision surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security arrangements upon their return.
The couple will reportedly retain their homes in Montecito, California and Portugal, while the Duchess will continue to run her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from their new base.
Sources have said that the UK would be the Sussex’s primary home for an extended period, although it had not yet been decided whether to make the move permanent.
The locations of the home and school have not been made public for privacy reasons, however, a source told The Sun that the family’s new accommodation is not a royal property.
How did we get here?
Harry and Megan were married in May 2018 and originally worked closely with Prince William and Princess Kate as senior members of the royal family.
However, reports later emerged of a rift between the two couples and in March 2019, Buckingham Palace announced Harry and Meghan would set up their own, separate household.
Around a year later, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they were scaling back their involvement with the royal family and would split their time between the UK and US.
Harry and Megan then proceeded to make a series of bombshell allegations about the royal family, including claims some senior members were racist.
The couple formally relinquished their royal titles, and Harry was stripped of his honorary military titles, with the then Queen Elizabeth confirming the decision in 2021.
This story will be continuously updated…