Harry and Meghan 'to return to the UK in weeks' with Archie and Lilibet ahead for Invictus Games
A source close to Harry said he had felt “great sadness” at being unable to safely bring his wife and children to the UK in previous years
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to return to the UK with their two children within weeks.
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Prince Harry will reportedly return with Meghan Markle for the Duke's one-year countdown party for the Invictus Games - a multi-sport event set up by Harry for wounded soldiers.
A source close to Harry said he had felt “great sadness” at being unable to safely bring his wife and children to the UK in recent years, News.com.au reports.
"It’s been a real point of great sadness – for Harry especially – that he’s been unable to bring his wife and kids back to the UK safely to reconnect with friends and family, but anyone would understand his desire to put their safety first," the source said.
The source claimed Harry has long wanted his children to experience the UK and see where he grew up.
They added: “He would love to introduce the children to his wider family, to show them the UK, where he grew up – his homeland.
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“That would be a natural thing for any parent.”
However, it was confirmed Prince Harry lost his multimillion-pound fight for protection on British soil last year his royal protection was axed in the wake of their move to Montecito.
The Duke of Sussex claimed his "life was at stake" is he came back to his home country. He also claimed that stripping his security was a scheme to force them back to the UK.
Harry has returned to the UK several times since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, but Meghan and their two children have largely remained in California.
One of Harry’s recent visits was for a two-day Court of Appeal hearing in London, while it has now been nearly four years since Meghan was last in Britain.
The Duchess of Sussex was last in the UK in September 2022, when she and Harry travelled over for a series of engagements before extending their stay after the death of Queen Elizabeth II during the period of national mourning.
Archie and Lilibet have only been brought to Britain once since the couple moved to the US, during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. That visit remains Lilibet’s only trip to the UK.
She was born in California after the Sussexes relocated, while Archie spent much of his first year living in Britain.
During the 2022 visit, Lilibet celebrated her first birthday with family and friends at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.
It also marked the only time King Charles has seen his grandchildren in person since Harry and Meghan moved across the Atlantic.
A future family trip would be Meghan’s first major public return to the UK since attending the Queen’s funeral, although a source insisted she has no concerns about how she would be received.
It comes as Harry has continued trying to repair relations with his father. Last September, the Duke and the King held a long-awaited reunion at Clarence House during one of Harry’s visits to Britain for charity work.
Although the meeting was brief, it was their first face-to-face encounter in 18 months and raised hopes that relations between them could begin to improve.
The wider backdrop is the Invictus Games, Prince Harry’s most high-profile charitable project and one closely tied to his military service.
He founded the event in 2014 to support the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.
The next Invictus Games will be held in Birmingham from 10 July to 17 July 2027, beginning with an opening ceremony on Saturday 10 July and ending with a closing celebration on 17 July for competitors, friends and families.