The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived back in the UK, landing at Birmingham airport, according to reports.
Prince Harry, Meghan, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are expected to enjoy an “extended stay” in Britain, with the children already enrolled at school in the UK and due to start next week.
The couple’s return, six years after they decamped to California and stepped down as working royals – meaning they no longer carry out official royal engagements – was revealed just last week, with the king having only been informed four days previously.
There was no immediate confirmation of their arrival on Wednesday from representatives of the Sussexes. The BBC reported they had arrived in the UK, while the Daily Telegraph reported they had landed at Birmingham airport at lunchtime. The choice of airport would fuel intense speculation that the family intend to live in the Cotswolds area.
They plan to retain their Montecito mansion and a property in Spain, it is understood, and will live outside London at a non-royal residence. There are no plans for them to return to official royal duties.
Meghan will reportedly continue to run her As Ever business, which is based in California, from the UK, while also travelling back the US at times. There has been intense speculation that the Suits actor may also return to acting. There have been conflicting reports that the duchess has been in discussions to appear in the third series of the Netflix drama The Gentleman, though royal author Tina Brown claimed Meghan had been dropped from the project because the backlash was so intense it became untenable to go forward.
The Sussexes left the UK and stepped back from their royal duties in early 2020, before settling in California in March that year.
The family’s security in the UK has been the subject of debate since the news of their return broke. It has been decided on a case-by-case basis to date. It remains unclear what provisions will be made for their security in the UK and who will pay for it.
The family made a short visit to Britain in July for a summer holiday, during which they visited Althorp in West Northamptonshire, the ancestral home of the late Diana, Princess of Wales and where she is buried.