Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sparked global attention when they announced their plans to return to the UK. The former royal couple are expected to arrive later this month, with their children, Archie and Lilibet, enrolled in British schools for the new academic year beginning in September.
Despite the excitement surrounding their move, a prominent royal commentator has highlighted one particular challenge Meghan might face after spending more than six years in California.
Speculation continues about where Harry and Meghan will live on their return. As private individuals no longer officially part of the Royal Family, it is unlikely that details of their residence will be disclosed publicly.
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The couple are expected to settle on a private estate outside London. Two locations frequently mentioned are Northamptonshire, close to the late Princess Diana’s family estate, and the Cotswolds, known for its celebrity residents and affluent community.
Royal biographer Andrew Lownie has suggested that Meghan may not have fully considered the impact of the British weather on her lifestyle. Despite recent heatwaves, the UK’s winter season tends to bring rain and colder temperatures, which could prove difficult.
Speaking on The Daily T podcast, Lownie said, “I can’t see Meghan enjoying a Cotswolds winter with the rain coming down, and her mother a long way away. So I just can’t see this working.”
Lownie, who has authored several books on the Royal Family including the recent ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York’, also discussed what the couple’s sudden decision to leave the US might indicate about their relationship dynamics. The move apparently caught even King Charles by surprise.
He explained, “I think it’s a really interesting dynamic because we’ve always thought that Harry was under the thumb of Meghan, and that there wasn’t much give or take there. Now there seems to be an understanding that he wants to have children with a British education; he wants to come back to his friends. I think he’s felt very isolated in California.”
Separately, property expert Cal Graham from We Buy Any Home has suggested that privacy and security concerns may mean the family’s new home will be unassuming rather than ostentatious.
Speaking about the choice of residence, Graham said, “If the reports are correct, the most suitable property would probably be one that looks relatively unremarkable from the public road but offers considerable privacy once inside. A modern home on a privately managed estate, set well back from the road and shielded by mature landscaping, would attract far less attention than an instantly recognisable country mansion.”