US news | The Guardian
· collected 2026-08-21 · by Uwa Ede-Osifo in Montecito, California
Story summary
*Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to return to the UK is met with mixed reactions*
The couple plans to move back to Britain after six years in California, with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet set to start school there. The news has been reported by various outlets, including *The Telegraph*, *BBC*, and *People*.
*Reasons for the move are unclear, but sources suggest it's partly due to tensions with President Donald Trump*
Meghan Markle, 45, and Prince Harry, 41, have been vocal about their dislike of the current White House administration. According to *The Sun*, the couple will return to Britain for an extended period as their children start school in September.
*King Charles has welcomed the news but made it clear that their status as non-working royals remains unchanged*
The monarch's spokesperson confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan will not live in a royal residence, and their decision is seen as a personal one rather than a change in their official status.
*Trump's MAGA allies have mocked the couple on social media, with some making unfounded claims about Meghan Markle's motivations for leaving the US*
Katie Miller, wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, commented on X that Meghan "always just wanted to be a celebrity." However, there is no evidence to support this claim.
*The move has also sparked speculation about the couple's future plans and whether they will continue to pursue their independent roles in the US*
Prince Harry and Meghan have been vocal about their desire for independence from the royal family and the British press. Their decision to return to Britain may indicate a desire to reconnect with their roots or seek new opportunities.
*The couple's decision has also raised questions about their use of private jets and other environmental concerns*
As they prepare to move back to Britain, Prince Harry and Meghan are likely to face scrutiny over their carbon footprint and other environmental issues. Their decision to prioritize their children's education in the UK may be seen as a positive step towards reducing their impact on the environment.
*The town of Montecito, where the couple has lived for six years, is also bidding farewell to the royal duo*
As Prince Harry and Meghan prepare to leave California behind, the town of Montecito is reflecting on its whirlwind stint in the global spotlight. While some residents may be sad to see them go, others are likely to welcome the return of peace and quiet to the area.
Sources
*The Telegraph*: "Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moving back to UK with children"
*BBC*: "Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'returning to UK' for extended period"
*People*: "Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Moving Back to U.K. for Children's School Year"
*The Sun*: "Meghan Markle and Prince Harry 'moving back to Britain' because they don't like President Trump"
*The Guardian*: "We'll never be royals: the California town where Prince Harry and Meghan lived says goodbye"
Written for “Prince Harry Returns to UK” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 10 other(s) covering the same event.
The bucolic coastal California town of Montecito was thrust into the limelight six years ago as the backdrop for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s second act following an acrimonious split from Buckingham Palace.
asserted
town → thrust → Palace
But as the couple plans their return to the United Kingdom, Montecito’s whirlwind stint on the global stage may be coming to an end.
uncertain
stint → plan → end
To be clear, the well-to-do enclave near Santa Barbara is unlikely to lose its reputation as a hideout for celebrities – a respite from the paparazzi den that Los Angeles, about 90 miles (145km) south, can be.
asserted
Angeles → lose → den
Oprah, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ellen DeGeneres, among other public figures, have all resided in the tony community.
asserted
Oprah → reside → community
Prince Harry and Meghan, though, were arguably top contenders for Montecito’s most attention-grabbing residents.
asserted
Harry → grab → residents
After news emerged that the couple had bought a $14.7m estate in the area, news helicopters and photographers swarmed in, to the annoyance of some neighbors.
asserted
helicopters → emerge → neighbors
Reporters even clamored for intel on a local Facebook page, prompting a moderator to warn journalists in a 2020 post: “No one will sell out or talk to the press.
asserted
one → clamor → press
We don’t care who you are or where you came from, if you are our neighbor and act like a neighbor we support you.”
asserted
we → care → you
Santa Barbara tourism officials, meanwhile, embraced the fervor, beckoning future residents or visitors with an online tagline: “Montecito: Fit for Royalty”.
asserted
officials → embrace → Royalty
The Sussexes maintained a low profile, blending into everyday life, according to Montecito residents who spoke with the Guardian.
uncertain
who → maintain → Guardian
As the couple’s next move lands like a bombshell across the pond – a shock even to some royal officials – in Montecito, residents reacted with a range of indifference and understanding.
asserted
residents → land → indifference
At lunch hour on Thursday afternoon, shops along a stretch of Coast Village Road roared to life.
asserted
shops → roar → life
At the Montecito Country Mart, visitors lingered outside, dining on sandwiches and sipping caffeinated drinks from a slew of nearby bakeries.
asserted
visitors → linger → bakeries
The bustling area stood in stark contrast to other, quieter parts of town with lavish homes hidden behind tall, well-manicured shrubs.
asserted
area → bustle → shrubs
In a boutique brimming with nautical trinkets, 65-year-old Susanne pondered the prospect of Harry and Meghan reconciling with their family.
asserted
Harry → brim → family
“I would love to see that,” she said, declining to give her last name.
asserted
she → love → name
In recent years, the couple have given a wide berth to Buckingham Palace.
asserted
couple → give → Palace
Meghan, who is biracial, publicly chastised her royal relatives for racist mistreatment and inadequate handling of media intrusion.
asserted
who → chastise → intrusion
More recently, the couple was embroiled in a protracted legal dispute over funding for their security protection.
asserted
couple → embroil → protection
“It’s sad that it’s been divided,” Susanne said.
asserted
Susanne → ’ → ?
Erin E Doherty, moderator of a Montecito Facebook page with more than 11,000 members, had no problem with Harry and Meghan living in her area, which she called a “little slice of heaven”.
asserted
she → have → heaven
It was not unusual for billionaires to socialize with people in lower-income brackets, she said, noting that she would run into Harry strolling on the beach with his children “all the time”.
asserted
she → socialize → children
“I think it’s natural to want to raise children around family and let them have relationships with cousins,” she said of their move.
asserted
she → think → move
“If they didn’t, I’m sure they would regret it.”
asserted
they → do → it
Karna Hughes, the director of public relations at Visit Santa Barbara, heaped praise on the couple for patronizing local businesses.
asserted
Hughes → heap → businesses
Some of the town’s attractions received the Hollywood treatment with screen time on Meghan’s Netflix cooking show, With Love, Meghan.
asserted
Some → receive → Love
“We hope they found respite in the beautiful vistas of the mountains and beaches as well as neighborly camaraderie,” Hughes said.
asserted
Hughes → hope → mountains
“We will warmly welcome them back any time.”
asserted
We → welcome → them
Another area resident, though, held Harry and Meghan in comparatively low regard.
asserted
resident → hold → regard
Montecito used to be a “cute small town”, said a man, dining outside Sakana Sushi, who declined to give his name.
asserted
who → use → name
It always had old money, but from his perspective as a “working-class contractor” who has lived nearby since 1974, he has seen the enclave creep toward being untenably “rich-ified”.
asserted
enclave → have → ified
“Good riddance,” he said of the couple’s return across the pond.
asserted
he → say → pond
They reportedly plan to keep their property.
uncertain
They → plan → property
