From Oprah to William fight: Harry and Meghan's biggest moments since moving to US
Duke and Duchess of Sussex planning to move back to UK and start children at school for new term
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will return to the UK for an "extended period" of time after living in the US for the past six years.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are no longer working royals, are said to have enrolled their children Archie and Lilibet in schools for the new term.
While Prince Harry has not commented, it is understood he will not be taking on any additional royal duties, which he relinquished when they moved to California in 2020.
But although the pair moved to seek a quieter life, they have never been far from press attention, with Harry detailing his struggles in his memoir Spare and the pair documenting their life in Netflix productions.
Speaking to US veterans in Washington on Wednesday, the Duke said that he is looking into launching a commercial scheme to help former military personnel.
Here are some of the highlights and lowlights that the pair have gone through since moving Stateside.
Harry and Meghan's biggest moments since moving to the US
Decision to leave
Harry and Meghan told the Queen in January 2020 that they would be stepping back as working royals and, after a discussion about their futures, relinquished all roles.
They bought a six-bedroom home for $14.7m in the affluent neighbourhood of Montecito near Santa Barbara, California, and moved in June. One month later, Meghan suffered a miscarriage.
One of the first partisan comments came that November when the couple urged US election voters to "reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity". The comment was taken as an endorsement of 2020 election candidate Joe Biden.
In one of their first business engagements, the pair signed a deal worth $100m (£75m) with Netflix.
Oprah interview
March 2021 saw Oprah with Meghan and Harry air, an interview which disclosed:
- Meghan had battled with suicidal thoughts,
- The monarchy had not provided her with all information about her role and duties,
- Members of The Firm had advised her against going to hospital when she experienced depressive symptoms,
- Harry said that his father, Charles, had not returned his phone calls for an unspecified period,
- Members of The Firm had expressed concern about the skin colour of their first child, Prince Archie,
Over the issue of race, the Palace issued a statement: “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”
In April, Harry returned for the funeral of his grandfather Prince Philip without Meghan, who was pregnant at the time.
The pair welcomed their daughter Lilibet in June 2021, and Harry joined up with Oprah again for a mental health documentary on Apple TV.
Death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
Harry and Meghan were visiting London when Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, and they remained for her funeral. They had also attended the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving.
Harry, however, attended the coronation of King Charles alone the following May.
Release of Spare
In January 2023, Prince Harry released his explosive memoir Spare, which detailed:
- Harry's feelings on being a "plan B" or a "spare", a back-up heir to his older brother, William,
- A denial that James Hewitt was his father, and not King Charles,
- He liked Princess Catherine, but blamed her for the controversial decision to dress up as a Nazi in fancy dress,
- At parties, he has tried cocaine and magic mushrooms,
- William called Meghan “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”.
He also recalled a 2019 fight with his brother, in which William: "Grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me."
The book was a bestseller but divided critical opinion.
Meghan's Spotify deal, which saw the release of her podcast Archetypes, ended in August 2023.
Legal challenges
Harry lost a legal challenge in May 2025 after the government provided him with a lower standard of protection rather than the top grade for a high-ranking royal.
After this, he said: “I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point … I miss the UK. And it’s really quite sad I won’t be able to show my children my homeland.”
In July 2026, he then lost a privacy lawsuit against the Daily Mail’s publisher in a phone-hacking case, and the group collectively faces a £50m legal bill.
Relationship with King Charles
King Charles was diagnosed with a form of cancer in February 2024.
Harry travelled back to have a brief meeting with him after the announcement, but later turned down the chance to stay at Buckingham Palace on his trip to London.
In July 2026, the King met with Meghan, Lilibet, and Archie for the first time in four years, alongside Harry. The group stayed at a private residence in Gloucestershire.
Renewed deal with Netflix
The couple has had mixed results from their Netflix partnership, with the Oprah interview proving a hit and the six-part Harry & Meghan also bringing in big audiences.
There was less viewership, however, for the documentaries Live to Lead, Polo and Heart of Invictus.
The pair renewed with Netflix in August 2026, although Meghan's lifestyle brand ended its partnership after the release of her show With Love, Meghan.