Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Might Be Going Back to Their Royal Exit Plan That Queen Elizabeth Nixed

 

The buzz around Prince Harry looking for a UK home continues to heat up, and there might be a good explanation as to why. It may seem simple to say that it’s the Duke of Sussex’s way of trying to end the royal family feud, but a former palace staffer thinks there is a better reason why he and Meghan Markle are taking steps toward their old lives.

No one is expecting them to pack up and move away from California, but they may be trying to execute their original “half-in, half-out” strategy that they pitched to Queen Elizabeth II before their exit. “If Harry does buy a place in the UK, he and Meghan will live here for part of the year and part of the year in the States, that was the original idea,” former royal butler Grant Harrold told the New York Post. “I would assume that this would mean Meghan would also be coming to the UK and you’d see them spending so many months of the year here.”

While it’s easy to understand that Meghan probably wouldn’t want to be “in the UK permanently,” it would be a solid European base for them as they expand the Invictus Games and root their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, in his home country. “I can believe that Harry would like to be back here, he loves the UK. He had an amazing upbringing here, he loved living here and I remember that” Harrold added. Their recent visit to Nigeria was not a royal tour, obviously, but it leaned into the work they do best — philanthropy mixed with their natural charisma. 

When they left their senior royal roles in 2020, Buckingham Palace issued a statement about their differences with the Sussexes’ vision. “Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” the statement read. “While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.”

Yet, Harry and Meghan made sure they had the last word after the disappointing outcome, sharing in their own statement, “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.” That’s exactly why they seem to be plotting the next stage of their career, and a home base in the U.K. makes sense from their very global perspective.