Six years after they slammed the door of the Royal Palace and fled to California, Harry and Meghan are making the move that few expected: they are returning to live in the United Kingdom.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to move in at the end of August with their two children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5. The news, first reported by The Telegraph and later reported by Reuters and other British media outlets, marks the biggest twist in the couple's history since 2020's "Megxit."
And there's one detail that suggests it's not just a long visit: Archie and Lilibet are enrolled in school in Britain and will start school in September. The family will live in a private residence outside London, not on a royal estate. According to British reports, the new home has already been secured.
The return, however, does not mean a return to royal duties. Harry and Meghan will remain inactive members of the royal family and are not expected to revive the "half-in, half-out" model of the monarchy that was rejected when they left in 2020.
But the mere fact that the Sussexes are returning to Britain is enough to open a new chapter in the saga that has rocked the Windsor family for six years.
In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping back as senior royals. The move to California was followed by a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, a Netflix documentary, and then Harry's autobiography, Spare, in which the prince opened up about his family struggles and, in particular, his fractured relationship with his brother, William.
This is precisely why returning is much more than a change of address.
Harry's relationship with King Charles appears to have entered a softer phase. Contact between father and son has increased and the return to Britain creates the opportunity for the King to have a much closer relationship with his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet.
With William, the situation is quite different. The rift between the two brothers remains one of the royal family's open wounds, and so far there is no sign that Harry's return will automatically bring a reconciliation with the Prince of Wales. Reuters describes the relationship between them as still frosty.
The way the Palace learned of the decision has also sparked interest. According to British reports, King Charles was informed just days before the news was made public, while Harry and Meghan had already secured their new apartment.
There is also the delicate issue of security. Harry has been waging a legal battle for years over the level of protection he is afforded when he is in Britain. With the family's return, the question of who will pay for and what kind of security the Sussexes will have has immediately returned to the British debate.
But the more interesting question is another: why now?
Neither Harry nor Meghan have publicly given a single reason for their return. The six years in the US brought major media contracts, documentaries, books and business projects, but not every initiative has had the success expected. Reuters describes the balance of their media ventures as mixed.
However, it would be speculation to say that the return is simply a consequence of the failure of the American adventure. The couple is expected to continue their private projects and British media report that they will maintain ties and properties outside Britain.
What is certain is the symbolism.
In 2020, Harry and Meghan left Britain to build a life outside the royal system, away from tabloid pressure and free to earn their own living. Six years later, their children will attend a British school and the family will once again live near London.
It's not a return to the Palace. It's not yet reconciled with William. And it's not a return to old royal duties.
But "Megxit", at least in the sense of physical departure from Britain, appears to be coming to an end.
And now the question that will haunt the Windsor family is whether the return of the "prodigal son" will remain just a family relocation — or will it be the beginning of the most long-awaited reconciliation in the British monarchy.
