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Her children may be excited to relive the “truly magical” time they had in the UK in July, but sources tell Woman’s Day that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has reservations about her forthcoming move back to Britain.
Meghan and her husband Prince Harry shocked the world when it was revealed on August 19 that they would return to the country of Harry’s birth for an “extended period” with their children Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
The decision comes mere weeks after the family had a successful reunion with King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla at Highgrove.
But insiders now claim that while the move allows Harry to forge closer ties with his royal family once more, the couple had “no options left” for them in the US.
“Moving back to the UK is not what Meghan wants, but they have no choice and Harry’s given her an ultimatum,” the insider claims, adding that the Prince is “desperately unhappy” about his disconnect from his birth country and could see “no other solution but to go back”.
“They always planned on doing this when Archie was ready for high school, but the declining California education system was a huge deciding factor in doing it sooner rather than later,” the insider adds.
Naturally, adding to the pull of life in the UK is Harry’s desire for his children to spend more time with their grandfather the King, who is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.
Indeed, the Duke had previously lamented that he felt “great sadness” at not being able to bring his wife and kids back to the country of his birth safely.
“He would love to introduce the children to his wider family, to show them the UK, where he grew up – his homeland. That would be a natural thing for any parent,” a friend told NewsCorp.
Indeed back in September 2025, Harry gave a hint of a desire to return to his home when he chatted to singer Joss Stone at the WellChild Awards.
The singer had recently moved her family back to the UK after several years in the US.
“He asked about how we were settling back in and was genuinely interested in our move home. He’s just very warm and down to earth, as always. Maybe Harry will move back too. That would be nice,” Joss – a longtime friend of the Duke’s – told Hello!.
“He was saying how wonderful the schools are here and how important community is for children,” she added. “It was nice to share that with him because it’s exactly why we felt drawn to come back – for the kids to grow up surrounded by family, friends and a strong sense of belonging and, most importantly, in a safe environment.”
People reported that Harry has recently felt buoyed by the reception he received on home turf and holds a belief that the more the public interacts with his wife, Meghan, the more they appreciate her.
But friends of the former Suits star hold fears for her – given how she has previously opened up about being “one of the most bullied people in the world”.
In July, it was reported that Meghan’s net approval rating in the UK slipped to -43 in a new YouGov poll – her lowest ever rating.
In contrast, Prince William and his wife Kate, Princess of Wales, remain Britain’s most popular royals – with around three quarters of Brits viewing them favourably.
“There are friends of Meghan’s who are convinced she won’t last, especially that long dark February when there’s not even Christmas lights or New Year cheer to lighten the gloom,” a source tells Woman’s Day, of a return to UK life.
“Last time they were literally being treated like royalty, this time it will be the opposite. They’ve alienated one of the big UK papers with their failed lawsuit. The fear is something will go badly.
“They’re putting on a united front, but Meghan in the UK is a ticking time bomb.”
