The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing to leave California and return to Britain in a dramatic reversal of their 2020 departure from royal life. According to reports from a major international news agency, the couple plan to relocate later this month to a private residence outside London, ending their six-year experiment in the United States. Their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, will attend school in Britain starting in September, marking a significant shift in the family's trajectory since they stepped away from official royal duties in 2020.
When Harry and Meghan departed the Royal Family and settled in Montecito—a celebrity enclave near Los Angeles home to figures like Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rob Lowe—they arrived with something Hollywood cannot easily replicate: royal status. They spoke openly about seeking freedom and privacy unavailable in the UK. In their landmark 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan characterised the ability to make her own decisions as "liberating". Harry suggested that America provided his family with privacy and autonomy they "undoubtedly wouldn't be able" to obtain in Britain, and he framed the move as fulfilling the life his mother, Diana, would have wanted for him.
Yet their time in the entertainment industry proved far less durable than their initial success suggested. While multimillion-dollar podcast and Netflix agreements materialised, sustaining momentum in Hollywood proved challenging. According to Stacy Jones, chief executive of Hollywood Branded, a marketing and PR agency, the couple initially commanded significant attention. "They were so sought after, they were names that would hit the press and command attention right away," she observed. However, she noted that celebrity in the entertainment world ultimately serves a commercial purpose: "There are endless parties, endless events and endless things to do if you are a celebrity inside Hollywood. But you soon realise that all those endless things are promoting something to sell."
The couple's departure has been met with indifference by much of the American media landscape. One prominent tabloid greeted the news with the headline "Throne Back!", declaring that America's "long national nightmare is over". The dismissive coverage reflected broader scepticism about whether the Sussexes had truly achieved lasting success in their new environment.
How did their entertainment ventures perform?
Harry and Meghan secured deals that most newcomers to the entertainment industry never obtain. Their Spotify agreement, valued at up to $25 million, produced Meghan's 12-episode podcast Archetypes, which featured prominent guests including Serena Williams and Mariah Carey. However, in 2023, Spotify and Archewell Audio announced they had "mutually agreed to part ways", ending the partnership prematurely.
Their Netflix contract, signed in 2020 and reportedly worth between $60 million and $100 million, generated several programmes. The arrangement has since been replaced by a significantly less lucrative deal, reflecting broader challenges across the entertainment sector. Behind the scenes, their production company experienced substantial staff turnover, with former employees reportedly referring to themselves as the "Sussex Survivors Club".
Meghan ventured into lifestyle content with her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which showcased their California residence complete with rescue chickens and homegrown strawberries set against the Santa Ynez Mountains. The programme was cancelled after two seasons, though it received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lifestyle Series. Netflix also terminated its involvement in Meghan's lifestyle brand, As Ever, earlier this year. Stacy Jones observed that the mismatch between Meghan's brand and Netflix's core business highlighted the challenges of such ventures: "Netflix produces movies. Netflix doesn't produce jam."
Critics characterised Meghan's carefully curated lifestyle presentation as tone-deaf, yet Jones acknowledged that even negative attention can maintain public visibility. Kinsey Schofield, whose podcast focuses on royal affairs, suggested the couple's ventures reflected a deeper pattern: "In moving to Britain, it looks like they are continuing to chase that proximity to the Royal Family to validate themselves or, in some cases, to commercialise. Meghan's been cosplaying as a royal selling her teas and her fruit spread through As Ever since it launched."
Where did Harry find success?
Harry achieved more substantial commercial success when his projects centred on his own story. His memoir, Spare, arrived with a reported $20 million advance and became a publishing phenomenon, selling more than six million copies worldwide and setting the record for fastest-selling non-fiction book. During promotional events, he engaged in public conversations with trauma specialist Dr Gabor Maté, exploring how his royal upbringing shaped his psychological development.
The Duke secured a position as chief impact officer at the Silicon Valley coaching company BetterUp and co-created and executive-produced the Apple TV+ mental-health series The Me You Can't See alongside Oprah Winfrey. His Netflix projects drew heavily on established personal interests: Heart of Invictus documented wounded and injured military veterans preparing for the Games he founded, while Polo explored another of his passions. Neither project generated attention comparable to the couple's six-part documentary series Harry & Meghan or his memoir revelations.
In 2022, Harry delivered the keynote address at an informal gathering of the UN General Assembly in New York marking Nelson Mandela International Day, speaking about his mother, his connection to Africa and Mandela's legacy. Yet despite these accomplishments, he appeared constrained by his royal identity in the American context, struggling to establish himself beyond his inherited status and family narrative.
Why are they returning to Britain now?
The decision to relocate reflects a shift in the couple's priorities. According to reporting from a national broadcaster, the move is being driven by the couple's desire to be nearer to Harry's family and to provide their children with education in the UK. Multiple sources indicate that Archie and Lilibet will attend school in Britain beginning in September, suggesting the educational transition has been a primary consideration in timing the relocation.
The move represents a striking reversal after six years of public statements emphasising the freedom and privacy they sought in America. The relocation has been characterised as a "shock return" given the couple's repeated criticisms of the royal family and British press since departing in 2020. King Charles has been informed of the decision, according to available reports.
Relations between Harry and his brother William remain strained, a factor that observers note will be closely watched as the family navigates this unexpected development. The couple have stated they intend to live as private citizens, though industry observers remain sceptical about whether such a withdrawal from public life is feasible for figures of their prominence.
What projects remain in development?
The Sussexes continue to have entertainment ventures in progress. They recently released a documentary about Girl Scouts and are developing a scripted series set in the exclusive world of polo teams, to be produced by the creators of Gossip Girl. These projects suggest they intend to maintain some presence in the entertainment industry despite their relocation.
However, their overall American experience illustrates the limitations of celebrity status in sustaining long-term success in Hollywood. Fame may provide initial access and opportunity, but it does not guarantee durability. Stacy Jones observed that the entertainment industry is currently experiencing significant instability: "Hollywood is going through an incredibly hard time right now, and it's a fractured landscape. Layoffs, repeated restructuring and high staff turnover have destabilised companies across the industry. It is pretty hard to start and launch a company and keep it going. When that company is being launched by someone who is a mega media star, it needs some really strong people supporting it."
Elizabeth Holmes, a royal journalist and author of HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style, expressed surprise at their departure: "I think part of why this was surprising to me was just because it did feel like they were sort of settling into their life in California."
What happens next?
The relocation is expected to occur later this month, with the children's school term in Britain beginning in September. The couple will reside for an extended period outside London, with practical details of their new home still being finalised. The move is intended to position them closer to Harry's family, suggesting that further family arrangements and schooling logistics will develop in the coming weeks.
While the couple have indicated their intention to pursue private lives, industry observers remain unconvinced about the feasibility of such withdrawal. Jones concluded: "They will never be private citizens anywhere in their lives. They are not people who can ever become background players. They are stars of their own show—or stars of someone else's show. Even if they're lower-level stars, they're still stars."
Key Facts
- Prince Harry and Meghan are relocating from California to a private residence outside London later this month, ending their six-year American residency
- Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will attend school in Britain beginning in September 2026
- The couple's entertainment ventures achieved mixed results: their Spotify podcast deal ended in 2023, their Netflix arrangement was downgraded, and Meghan's lifestyle series was cancelled after two seasons
- Harry's memoir Spare became the fastest-selling non-fiction book on record, selling over six million copies worldwide
- The move reflects a shift toward family proximity and education priorities, despite the couple's previous emphasis on seeking freedom and privacy in America
