Prince Harry dropped subtle hint about family's UK move a year ago - and we all missed how seriously he meant it
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are believed to be relocating and in 2025 Harry spoke about 'wonderful' aspect of British life
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning another trip to the UK this month - and this time, they're reportedly here to stay. A month after their reunion with the King at Highgrove and six years after stepping back as working royals, it's believed Harry and Meghan are moving to Britain with Prince Archie (7) and Princess Lilibet (5).
According to the BBC, the Sussexes have enrolled their children to start in a British school from September and they'll be living outside of London in a non-royal residence. At the moment there's no suggestion that Prince Harry or Meghan will resume royal duties.
This has come as a surprise to many, but perhaps we should've taken Prince Harry's hint last year more seriously. The Duke of Sussex praised this "wonderful" aspect of British life to singer Joss Stone and it was why she was "drawn to come back" herself.
Joss and her family used to live in the US and spoke to Hello! in September 2025 about a conversation she and Harry recently had at the WellChild Awards about schools.
"He was saying how wonderful the schools are here and how important community is for children," she alleged. "It was nice to share that with him because it's exactly why we felt drawn to come back - for the kids to grow up surrounded by family, friends, and a strong sense of belonging and most importantly in a safe environment."
According to Joss, the King's youngest son was "genuinely interested" in her move and asked how they were "settling back in" to life in the UK. In light of the new reports of Harry and Meghan relocating, maybe this was his way of getting some advice and a feel for what it might be like.
It's possible that the Sussexes were already considering the idea of moving back then and this would make sense as it can take months to enroll a child in school. It would've required a lot of pre-planning to put the wheels of a transatlantic move in motion.
Back then Joss wondered, "Maybe Harry will move back too. That would be nice", and now it looks like she predicted it perfectly.
The timing of their choice is particularly interesting, as reports claim that King Charles was told on Sunday, 16th August and not in July at Highgrove. For all we know, Archie and Lilibet were enrolled in schools in the UK and US just to be safe and the meeting with the King and time in the UK were the deciding factor for their parents.
The BBC understands that His Majesty "welcomes the opportunity" to see more of the Sussexes "in a private and personal capacity". Harry and Meghan's Europe trip in July is said to have helped cement the decision to move.
In an interview, also last September, the Duke of Sussex was open about how he wanted to focus on spending time with King Charles. He said that over the coming year "the focus really has to be on my dad", months after he was heavily criticised for saying he doesn't know "how much longer" the monarch has, but reaffirmed his love for a royal reconciliation.
Living back in Britain, closer to his family, will surely be a positive step in this direction for Harry and Meghan.
