Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could reportedly be heading back to California just weeks after returning to Britain with their children.
The Daily Mail claimed the couple could return to Montecito “for good” if Harry’s security review does not go the way he hopes.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have already faced a rocky start to their new life in the UK, with their children changing schools over traffic and security concerns and a reported leak incident involving Meghan.
Highlights
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could reportedly be heading back to the US within weeks if his latest security review doesn’t go as he hopes.
- The Sussexes’ UK plans hit an unexpected snag after their children’s school run reportedly raised traffic and security concerns.
- Markle’s private phone number was reportedly exposed in a school parents’ WhatsApp chat last week.
One netizen wrote, “That reconciliation didn’t last long. Things didn't work out for them both. Have a safe journey home.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could reportedly return to California if the family’s security review goes against them
The latest speculation came from a Daily Mail report by editor-at-large Alison Boshoff, who cited unnamed sources close to the couple, saying a return to Montecito has not been ruled out.
According to the report, Harry and Meghan could potentially leave Britain “within weeks” if the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as RAVEC, does not grant Harry the improved security arrangements he has been seeking.
The couple returned to the UK from California in August with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, reportedly planning to spend an extended period in Britain.
However, Boshoff claimed that the family’s long-term future in Britain could depend on the outcome of the security review.
A source quoted by the outlet reportedly said, “If he doesn’t get [security] then I believe he will go back to Montecito for good, and that could be as soon as half-term.”
“The view is that if they don’t get security then it will have to mean that Ravec has been nobbled. The need is so clear; what else could be the explanation?”
The anonymous insider concluded, “So if he doesn’t get it, then he will take that as a sign that there are deeper elements at play. In that case then he will be safer in the US than in the UK, so he will return.”
The Sussexes’ new UK life has already been complicated by school security and traffic concerns
The speculation has nevertheless given online commenters plenty to say.
“Expected the red carpet treatment, just realized they are just ‘private citizens,’” one person wrote.
“I am sure the UK will be happy. Didn't get the welcome they planned,” another commented.
A third person wrote, “It's the last throw of the dice: 'Daddy, pay for our security, or we're off'. It's like a child threatening to hold their breath when they don't get what they want.”
“He must have gathered more material for his next book already,” another joked.
The report came as RAVEC recently began reassessing the couple’s security arrangements.
ITV News reported that Harry and Meghan were both due to have new Risk Management Board assessments because their circumstances had changed, including their UK residency and the fact that their children are now attending school in Britain.
However, the review does not automatically mean the Sussexes will receive additional protection.
ITV reported that they had been told the assessments would reconsider their circumstances rather than guarantee an increase in their current arrangements.
The Suits alum’s reported WhatsApp privacy leak last week added another layer to the Sussexes’ security concerns
The speculation follows Archie and Lilibet being pulled from their first UK school just two days into the new term.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said the decision followed discussions with the family’s security team about the “practicalities” of their arrangements, while stressing it was not a reflection on the school or its staff.
Reportedly, the concerns centered on the daily journey between the family’s home and school.
The children could potentially spend long periods sitting in stationary traffic, while the repeated route could create a predictable pattern.
There was also a more immediate problem during the school run.
The car carrying Harry, Meghan, and their children became separated from the vehicle carrying their security personnel after other cars squeezed between them in heavy traffic.
Harry recently said his family was happy in Britain despite calling the past few weeks “eventful”
The school controversy was followed by another privacy headache involving Meghan.
According to The Sun, the Duchess of Sussex joined a WhatsApp group for parents at the school shortly before Archie’s first day, with other mothers reportedly welcoming her to the group.
Meghan allegedly replied warmly, saying she was “so happy to be a part of this community.”
However, a screenshot of the conversation later circulated online and reportedly exposed the phone number connected to her account.
The timing nevertheless added another wrinkle to the family's already closely watched return to Britain, as RAVEC prepared to reassess the couple’s circumstances.
Despite the speculation surrounding a possible return to California, Harry has publicly offered a relatively upbeat picture of his family’s adjustment to life in Britain.
At an Invictus Games Foundation event last week on September 17, he described the past couple of weeks as “eventful” and addressed his children’s new routine.
“Kids are in school. We’re happy,” Harry said, according to reports.
For now, the couple remains in Britain, while the RAVEC assessments continue.
“That didn't last long, I thought they were staying in the country to try and make amends with his dad and family,” one netizen wrote
