EXCLUSIVE: Harry and Meghan's UK Return 'Could Last Just Six Months' Before Another Move
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not long for the UK, according to sources.
Aug. 29 2026, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to Britain could last as little as six months before the restless Sussexes consider packing their bags again – potentially for Canada or Australia.
As RadarOnline.com has reported, Harry, 41, and Markle, 45, are preparing to relocate from the US later this month with Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, who are due to begin attending a private British day school next month.
Inside Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's Secret UK Experiment
Prince Harry and Markle have planned an open-ended relocation to the United Kingdom, sources claim.
But despite establishing a new UK base, a source close to the couple has claimed they have deliberately avoided setting a firm timetable for how long they will remain.
The insider added: "The move is being approached as an open-ended experiment rather than a permanent homecoming. Harry and Meghan want to properly immerse themselves in life in Britain and see how it works for them as a family before making any long-term decisions. They aren't putting themselves under pressure to decide now whether this is where they will spend the next five or 10 years.
"There are so many variables involved – how Archie and Lilibet settle into school, whether Harry and Meghan enjoy being back in the UK, how their relationships with the wider family develop, and what professional opportunities emerge. Any one of those things could influence what happens next."
Why Their British Return Could Be Cut Short
The couple approached the return as an open-ended experiment.
The source claimed, "They could discover after six months that Britain simply isn't working for them and decide it is time for another change. Equally, they could be here a year or considerably longer. The important thing is that they now have the freedom to make those decisions for themselves.
"There is no fixed exit date and, at this stage, even Harry and Meghan genuinely couldn't tell you where they will ultimately end up."
The Sussexes' newfound freedom from royal duties also means another international move could eventually follow.
The Plan to Flee the UK Again?
Prince Harry and Markle explored Australia as another future option.
Another insider said: "Canada and Australia are both places Harry and Meghan have strong connections with and genuinely enjoy, so neither could ever be ruled out as somewhere they might want to spend a significant amount of time in the future. They are no longer tied to one country because of their roles within the institution, and that has completely changed the way they can think about where they live.
"They could spend six months or a year in Britain and then decide they fancy another chapter somewhere completely different. Canada would be an obvious possibility because they have already lived there and have very happy memories of that period. Australia is another country they know well and have always enjoyed visiting."
They noted, "The crucial difference now is that those choices belong entirely to Harry and Meghan. There isn't a palace machine determining where they need to be based or what their lives have to look like. If they wake up one day and decide Canada, Australia or somewhere else offers their family a better lifestyle, they have the freedom to explore it. That sense of possibility is something they really value."
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Speculation has linked their housing search to the Althorp estate.
King Charles, 77, is understood to have been the first person in the royal family the couple informed about their decision to return.
Family connections are among the attractions drawing Harry back after six years away, particularly his relationship with the Spencer side of his family.
But Harry's estrangement from Prince William, 44, appears unlikely to be resolved simply because the brothers will again be living in the same country.
The Cotswolds have emerged as the most likely location for the Sussexes' new home, although there has also been speculation that they could settle near Althorp, the Spencer family's Northamptonshire estate where Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, spent part of her youth.
