Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the UK at the end of August 2026 after living in California since 2020 with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The couple gave up official royal duties six years ago and are now living as private citizens in a non-royal residence during an extended stay in the UK [1, 3, 5].
On September 2, 2026, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly said he was "happy about it" and "not a fan" of Harry and Meghan’s time in the U.S. [1, 6, 2, 7]. Trump accused Meghan Markle of being "terribly disrespectful" toward the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III, calling out her behavior as unacceptable [6, 2, 7, 8]. He stated, "I thought they treated the royal family with great disrespect. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the way she acted. I thought she was terribly disrespectful to the Queen, to King Charles," emphasizing he would not have welcomed them back if he were part of the royal family [4, 9].
Trump also said he had a "very good relationship" with both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles, whom he called a "great, great guy," reflecting his familiarity with the British monarchy over the years [1, 9]. Meanwhile, Harry, 41, is reportedly working on mending ties with King Charles, who is currently battling cancer, but remains estranged from his brother Prince William and Catherine [6, 7, 8, 4].
Questions remain over whether British taxpayers will cover the costs of security for Harry and Meghan after their return to the UK, with no clear resolution as of yet [1, 3, 5]. The couple have left their pet chickens behind in California under staff care, hinting at a possible return to the U.S. in the future [3].
Harry and Meghan’s children started school in the UK in early September 2026, marking a new chapter for the family’s life back in Britain [3].
