EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry 'Plotting Half-In, Half-Out' Family Life Between U.S. and His Beloved Britain
Prince Harry is quietly weighing a future that would split his family life between California and the U.K., reviving tensions.
Feb. 6 2026, Published 5:38 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Prince Harry is quietly weighing a future that would split his family life between California and the U.K., reviving tensions around the half-in, half-out arrangement the palace rejected when he stepped back from royal duties.
Harry, 41, and his wife Meghan Markle, 44, have lived in Montecito, California, since 2020 after leaving their roles as working royals to raise their children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, in America.
Prince Harry Longs for Britain and Family Roots
Prince Harry considered dividing his time between the US and the UK.
Friends of the pair now tell us the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has never stopped longing for Britain, where he was born and raised, and is exploring ways to spend extended periods there without reopening old battles with the royal household.
In a BBC interview last May, Harry spoke openly about what he misses about his homeland.
He said: "Family gatherings when we're all sort of brought together under one roof for certain times of the year – that I miss."
Harry added: "I miss my friends. I've lost a few friends in this process," reflecting on the personal cost of leaving royal life.
Those remarks are now being cited by those who believe he is edging toward a transatlantic compromise in his married life.
Balancing California Life With Emotional Pull Home
Harry shared his longing for Britain in an interview with the BBC.
A source close to the Sussexes said: "Harry has always seen Britain as unfinished business. California is where their family functions on a practical level, and it suits Meghan and the children's daily lives, but for Harry there is a constant emotional gravity pulling him back to Britain.
"He has never emotionally closed that chapter."
Another insider who has known the prince since his school days told us: "Harry frames the idea of splitting his time as something deeply personal rather than political. He wants his children to understand where he comes from and what shaped him, but he is equally determined not to dismantle the life, routine, and stability he has created for them in California."
Harry has also spoken of deeper regret about his family rift.
He added to the BBC: "The things that (my kids are) going to miss is, well, everything… I love my country, I always have."
Harry added: "I think that it's really quite sad that I won't be able to show my children my homeland," citing ongoing concerns about security for his family in Britain.
Security Dispute Blocks Extended UK Stays
The prince worried about his children’s connection to his homeland.
Those security concerns remain a major obstacle. Harry has argued without adequate protection he cannot safely bring Meghan Markle and their kids back to the U.K. for extended stays.
One legal source said: "From a legal and practical standpoint, nothing can move forward unless the security question is settled.
"Without guaranteed protection, any idea of splitting time between the U.S. and the U.K. remains hypothetical.
"That said, the intent and desire on Harry's part are unmistakable."
Relations with Harry's father, King Charles III, 77, are described by sources as cautiously improving.
A palace aide said: "There is a broad recognition within the palace that Harry's wish for his children to have a relationship with their grandfather is sincere and understandable.
"The feeling is mutual, even if translating that goodwill into practical arrangements remains complex."
Raising Archie and Lilibet With Two Identities
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Friends said Harry balanced family stability with personal identity.
Harry is said to hope Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor will also build relationships with their British cousins, though insiders stress such contact depends on wider family consent.
One source said: "Harry genuinely values the privacy and autonomy that life in the US has given him and his family.
"At the same time, he carries a persistent concern that his children are growing up disconnected from a fundamental part of who they are and where they come from.
"This is not about resuming royal duties – it is about roots, memory, and a sense of belonging."
For now, Archie and Lilibet are being introduced to Britain in what one friend called small doses, through stories, visits from relatives, and Harry's own recollections.
Another source said: "There is no doubt that the children are being raised as Californians in every practical sense.
"What matters to Harry, though, is that they also develop an emotional connection to Britain, even if that ultimately means growing up with one foot in each world."
