What Each Member Of The British Royal Family Reportedly Thinks About Harry & Meghan's UK Return

On August 19, 2026, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, announced that they would be returning to the U.K. after their shocking move to Montecito, California, six years earlier. By all accounts, the news caught many members of the royal family off guard, as Harry and Meghan previously been quite vocal about their distaste for royal life. As a result, the royals' annual summer gathering at Balmoral Castle has reportedly transformed from a fun family gathering into a series of crisis talks. Behind closed doors, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and other senior royals have apparently been discussing the impact of Harry and Meghan's return on the monarchy. But what are they saying?

According to some reports, members of the royal family are torn between their love for Harry and their disdain toward his behavior. For many palace higher-ups, the publication of Harry's dramatic tell-all memoir "Spare" was the ultimate betrayal. That said, Charles' cancer diagnosis has apparently made some view the king's estrangement with Harry in a new light. While there are members of the royal family who hope to see Charles reconcile with his beloved son, others wish to banish Harry from the royal milieu. Either way, Harry and Meghan's royal return won't be easy. As royal expert Joe Little told The Guardian after the news broke, it will take time for bridges to be rebuilt. "It's not going to be a case of six weeks and everything is forgiven and forgotten," Little said. "It's going to be a lengthy process."

Although King Charles III has certainly taken issue with Prince Harry's behaviors in the past, the monarch is reportedly looking forward to spending more time with the Sussex family as a whole. Following Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex's big move to the U.S. in 2020, Charles has not had many opportunities to spend time with the couple — or their children. Reports indicate that the king has particularly struggled in the absence of his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. King Charles has a special relationship with Princess Charlotte and her siblings, but he hasn't had a chance to build such a bond with Harry's kids. As royal expert Tom Quinn told Woman's Day in 2024, the king is "desperate" to spend more time with Archie and Lilibet and get a chance to create positive memories with them.

Charles, who reportedly learned of Harry and Meghan's plans only days before the news broke to the rest of the world, has apparently greeted the news of the Sussexes' U.K. return with open arms. As People shared following the big announcement, Charles is said to be excited to see more of Harry and Meghan's family. That said, Charles' team was sure to inform the publication that his relationship with the Sussexes would be private. As of this writing, Charles does not seem interested in cultivating a professional connection with Harry and Meghan.

King Charles III is reportedly quite excited about the prospect of spending more time with his Sussex grandkids, but that doesn't mean that all is well. While Charles is prepared to welcome Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, back into his family, reports indicate that the king continues to harbor some reservations. According to a piece in The Times, Charles does not want Harry and Meghan to resume their previous duties as working royals. Apparently, he hopes to respect the position of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, regarding the couple's famous "half-in, half-out" proposition. In Charles' mind, it seems, royal commitment is an "all or nothing matter." Although Harry is his son, Charles is not willing to make exceptions. 

Royal experts largely agree that Charles' stance is a prudent one. Speaking to The Times for the previously cited article, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams explained that Charles cannot invest a lot of energy into the Sussexes at this time. Instead, Fitzwilliams argued, the monarch must focus on Prince William and Princess Catherine. "The Waleses are the future of the monarchy — both of them and their children — and that is also how the public see it, so there is only a certain amount that the king would be wise to give," the expert stated. At the end of the day, it seems Charles is expected to continue to offer his support to the family poised to succeed him. 

Like her husband, King Charles III, Queen Camilla is understood to feel hesitant about welcoming Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, back into the royal fold. On one hand, Camilla is believed to be thrilled about the possibility of building a relationship with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. On the other, she reportedly harbors a clear distrust toward Meghan and Harry — the latter of whom referred to her as a "wicked stepmother" in his bombshell memoir, "Spare."

Chatting with the Australian outlet New Idea in July 2026, a royal insider claimed that Camilla's attitude toward the Sussexes has verged on suspicion. The source stated that, during a July 2026 tea with Harry and Meghan, Camilla expressed her concern about the couple's history of leaking stories to the press. Apparently, the queen's "true mission was to put Meghan in her place and establish a new set of rules should they continue renewing relations." Camilla apparently said that she wanted the chance to get to know Archie and Lilibet; however, she also set some serious boundaries. "She made it clear that this [family gathering] was for Archie and Lilibet, but if there were any leaks about their meeting, the door would be closed forever," the insider added.

Moving forward, it is thought that Camilla will maintain her position surrounding family meetings. She will want to spend time with the youngest Sussexes. That said, Camilla won't likely tolerate another tell-all.

While King Charles III and Queen Camilla seem cautiously optimistic about Prince Harry's return to the U.K., Prince William is believed to be furious. The future King of England has long harbored resentment toward his younger brother, as evidenced by the timeline of Prince William and Prince Harry's feud. In William's eyes, Harry threatened the monarchy with the unflattering contents of the book "Spare." The Prince of Wales did not appreciate this attack on the institution that he has given his life to. Family friends told the BBC that William has taken Harry's betrayals very personally — and that he has no plans to forgive his younger brother. "William is very stubborn," one said. "To feel cheated by your own brother has been painful. He can't just put it behind him."

As William has grappled with the news of Harry's U.K. return, his closest friends have rallied behind him. In the same interview with the BBC, the previously mentioned unnamed source said, "This is a hard situation for him full of emotion and anger and we will support him." That said, some members of William's inner circle are worried about the way that Harry's big move might impact the quality of his work. "It is really important for me to ensure that any work we do with William will be focused on making a positive change and won't be affected by the Harry and Meghan drama," the friend added.

Because of Prince William's negative feelings toward Prince Harry, the former does not necessarily have plans to speak to the latter upon his return to Britain. On the contrary, William may actually be planning to give Harry the silent treatment — because of the way that the Wales family was portrayed in "Spare." As one royal insider told RadarOnline, "His position is that he has nothing to say to Harry, and he has vowed he will not be drawn into meetings simply because Harry is living in the country again." Apparently, William will ice Harry out to the best of his ability, telling friends "he will not be speaking to either of [the Sussexes] for the foreseeable future."

Speaking to RadarOnline for the same report, the previously mentioned source said that William views Harry as a threat to his family. "There is still enormous anger on William's part over what was said about Catherine and the family [in Harry's tell-alls]. William sees protecting his wife and children as his priority," the insider shared. This is ultimately why King Charles and Prince William's relationship is believed to be in a fragile state over Prince Harry. William does not share his father's desire to forgive and forget. In the words of the same source, "Charles may want reconciliation with his younger son, but William is nowhere near that point and doesn't intend to pretend otherwise."

Princess Catherine has not had an easy go of things. Since joining the royal family back in 2011, the Princess of Wales has overcome numerous challenges ranging from press harassment to a public cancer diagnosis. Given everything that Catherine has been through, royal experts believe that she has been feeling very overwhelmed by the news of Prince Harry's return to the U.K. As royal expert Christopher Andersen told Us Weekly after the Sussexes' the move was announced, "[William and Catherine] have so much on their plate as it is ... they don't really need to cope with having Harry and Megan on their proverbial doorstep."

Making matters worse, it's understood that neither Catherine nor her husband, Prince William, had any idea that Harry wanted to move back to England. The Sussex family's announcement apparently left both Catherine and William in a state of shock. "They're absolutely fuming to be blindsided like this but, like the king, there's nothing they can do about it," an inside source told Woman's Day. While Catherine may not be thrilled with the news, all she can do is try to move past it. The Princess of Wales remained famously calm in the wake of the publication of "Spare," and royal fans expect to see Catherine performing her royal duties as usual — even as Harry steps back into the spotlight.  

Prince William and Princess Catherine are believed to be fairly united on the issue of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex's return to the U.K. Although many members of the royal family — namely King Charles III and Queen Camilla — apparently want to give Harry and Meghan another chance, the Waleses are another story. According to some reports, William and Catharine are worried that Harry and Meghan's big move might pose a risk to the monarchy. A source even told Woman's Day that the Waleses are trying to mitigate the crisis. "William's team are in intense meetings on how to minimize any risk to him and the family," the insider said. "He'll be seeking advice from everyone from lawyers to diplomatic-crisis experts."

William and Catherine are reportedly worried that Harry and Meghan may wish to return to their previous royal roles. As the previously cited insider told Woman's Day, "William suspects Harry and Meghan actually do think they're going to be accepted back onto the royal roster." For the Waleses, this may very well be a sort of worst-case scenario. "William's convinced this is their long game – and he's stunned that Harry thinks there would be even remotely a chance," they added. Regardless of Harry and Meghan's intentions, it sure seems that William and Catherine do not trust the couple. They will potentially remain in crisis mode as the Sussexes' move unfolds.

While the Wales camp has gone into full-blown crisis mode, Princess Anne has taken a totally different approach to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex's return to Britain. As King Charles III's younger sister, Anne has reportedly developed quite a bit of empathy for his plight. Although she was displeased with Harry and Meghan's royal exit, Anne is also understood to empathize with Charles' desire to build a relationship with his Sussex grandchildren. As such, it seems that Anne wants to see a family reunion unfold.

Conversing with the Express, an anonymous source close to Anne said that she's eager to see the dust settle on Harry's feud with Prince William. She hopes that the brothers start channeling their energy into building bridges with their father, whose cancer diagnosis has greatly impacted his health. Per this source, Anne would like to play the role of peacemaker in the upcoming negotiations. However, she has apparently taken a strong stance against any future drama, telling Harry, "This nonsense has gone on far too long."

Whether William and Harry take Anne up on her peacemaking offer remains to be seen. Princess Anne's relationship with Harry and Meghan has not always been smooth sailing. That said, all signs point to Harry agreeing with his hard-working aunt. As the the spare heir told the BBC in 2025, "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point continuing to fight anymore, life is precious." 

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have survived many royal scandals, but their relationships with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, have apparently not remained intact. Once upon a time, Harry and Meghan were close enough to the York princesses that they would have been thrilled with the duo's royal return. But, by 2023, it was clear that Prince Harry's royal rift was affecting Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. By 2026, things between Harry and his York cousins had apparently reached a boiling point, and the trio quickly fell out of contact.

According to a piece in Hello!, Harry and Meghan have largely lost their connection with Beatrice and Eugenie. A source explained, "Beatrice and Eugenie are not even in touch [with the Sussexes] — and Eugenie was once so close to him." This distance seems quite strange, given that Harry and Meghan spent the summer of 2026 in Portugal, where Eugenie also has a home. Interestingly, the source also told Hello! that Harry and Eugenie did not connect during that period. As of this writing, it seems fair to assume Beatrice and Eugenie aren't going to be throwing the Sussexes any sort of homecoming party.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, sent shockwaves through the British royal family with their decision to return to the U.K. in 2026. As much as their choice has impacted the likes of King Charles III and Prince William, it has had an even greater effect on two of the youngest members of the Firm. Harry and Meghan's two children will trade their laid-back life in Montecito, California, for something a little bit more royal. This is expected to be a huge shock for the kids, as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet reportedly had no idea that they were royals.

While Archie and Lilibet are poised to undergo a massive change in lifestyle, the two young royals are reportedly very excited about making the move. They are said to be particularly hopeful about the possibility of playing with Prince William and Princess Catherine's children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. One inside source even told Woman's Day, "But what excites the kids more than anything, by all accounts, is that they'll finally have the chance to get to know their cousins." Of course, given all the negativity between William and Harry, it's hard to say when the kids will all connect. Despite these obstacles, the source noted, "It's been tough to be so far away and out of the loop from a family point of view."