Princess Lilibet & Prince Archie May Be Making Their Grand UK Return Sooner Than We Thought
After they left their jobs as working royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, moved to California in March 2020 with their son, Prince Archie. Their daughter, Princess Lilibet, was born over a year later, in June 2021. Sadly, due to security concerns, Archie and Lilibet rarely have visited their U.K. relatives. Instead, Harry's ended up traveling back and forth as he's made multiple attempts in court to restore security protection for his family. Harry also has an upcoming trip to the U.K. planned for July 2026. This time, however, he will be promoting an event that's particularly close to his heart: The Invictus Games. Although it was initially reported that Harry would likely be traveling solo, the tide abruptly turned, and it now appears that he will be taking Meghan and their kids with him.
In May, Harry was reportedly despondent that his children were missing out on being with their royal family members, especially as milestones like birthdays reminded him how quickly time was passing. "He would love to introduce the children to his wider family, to show them the [U.K.], where he grew up — his homeland," one insider informed News.com.au. "That would be a natural thing for any parent."
Although no official updates to the Sussexes' security situation have been divulged, in late 2025, Harry persuaded authorities to conduct their first official risk assessment in five years. It's possible that this development paved the way for Harry to be comfortable with his family accompanying him overseas.
Harry reportedly wants his kids to have some in-person grandfather time
The last time Prince Archie saw his royal relatives was June 2022. He was a toddler, and his sister, Princess Lilibet, was just turning one, so they likely don't remember the experience. Even for adults like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, it wasn't the ideal time for relaxed family reunions. Amid all the festivities for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, the working royals were pretty booked. Sadly, Elizabeth reportedly only spent 15 minutes with Prince Harry's family (via The Sun).
This time, although the catalyst for Harry's trip is the Invictus Games, the prince apparently sees an opportunity to mend the royal rift between him and King Charles III. Hopefully, Charles' schedule will have adequate downtime for a get-together, and it's possible the king will be taking a summer break when Harry and his family are back in the U.K.
Although it seemed like Harry made a sudden shift in his plans to bring Archie and Lilibet, he's apparently been considering it for a while. "Harry says he's coming back before the end of the year with the children with the express intent to reunite with his dad," an insider divulged to The Telegraph in June 2026. (The outlet also reported that he's been told his security concerns will be handled.) In the past, Charles hasn't been keen on mixing family time and legal proceedings, and royal business has sometimes complicated a meet-up. However, given Charles' ecstatic reaction to seeing his grandkids in 2022, it's likely that the monarch will be motivated to make a reunion happen.