No Contracts, No Friends: 11 Rumors About Why Harry & Meghan Really Left The US

More than half a decade after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle relocated to the U.S., they have packed up and moved back to the UK for their next chapter. The couple, who tied the knot in May 2018, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, landed in Birmingham by private jet, ready to spend an extended period in Harry's home country. 

It's been a bit of a whirlwind for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped down as senior working members of the royal family in 2020 on a mission to gain financial independence and to escape the confines of the palace walls. Despite the decision causing a massive rift between Harry and his older brother, Prince William, and their dad, King Charles, moving away was the best option for the couple at the time.

So, they settled into a gorgeous home in Montecito where they raised their children by the ocean, built a chicken coop, and started anew. They inked deals with Netflix and Spotify, and Harry landed a book deal that earned him $20 million for a memoir highlighting the most private, behind-the-scenes moments of the royal family. And while some of their decisions have only widened the royal rift, Harry and Meghan have decided to spend more time in the UK—and unsurprisingly, people have questions. Why would the couple choose to return to the country they once left behind? And why now? Let's look at some of the biggest rumors attempting to answer those questions.

One of the biggest—and perhaps most believable—rumors about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to move back to the UK for an extended period of time is that they want to send their children to school in England. We know this because Harry himself actually said it. In September 2025, he caught up with singer Joss Stone at the WellChild Awards. 

At the time, Stone had recently moved back to the UK with her family after spending years living in Nashville, Tennessee. "He was saying how wonderful the schools are here and how important community is for children," Stone told Hello! of the conversation. "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."

TalkTV's Samara Gill said the move makes sense because Archie and Lilibet would be "treated like normal people" while attending school in Britain. "We know those schools in Montecito have very interesting treatment of celebrity children and they would have been held up on a pedestal," she added, according to Express UK. As the children will be attending school in the UK, it seems reasonable to assume the Sussexes will remain in the UK until the end of the school year.

A rumor about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that has been circulating for quite some time is that they are running low on money. For starters, the couple dropped over $14 million on their home in Montecito, which features nine bedrooms on more than seven acres. With their various business deals (Netflix, Spotify) coming to an end, the couple may be worried about finances. Not to mention that Harry has spent a great deal of money on lawsuits against the British media—and his most recent didn't actually work in his favor. 

After losing the High Court case against the Daily Mail's publisher in July, Harry and six other high-profile celebs have been ordered to pay up—to the tune of $13 million. Putting all of these things together, rumors that money was a driving factor behind Harry and Meghan's decision to move back to the UK have been rampant. "I am sure there are a lot of reasons [for the move], but I do think cash is a big one," an insider told Page Six. "Anything that comes in instantly goes out," the source added.

Meghan Markle left her old life behind when she got engaged to Prince Harry in 2017. She'd been a staple on "Suits" for seven seasons, portraying paralegal-turned-lawyer Rachel Zane, but Meghan gave up the role to become the wife of a real-life prince. In 2022, the Duchess of Sussex was asked if she'd ever return to her acting roots, but she seemed pretty content off-set. "I'm done," she said, according to People magazine. "I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not," she added.

Now, rumor has it that Meghan is interested in getting back into acting. Along with reports that the Sussexes were moving back to the UK came reports that Meghan was in talks to join Guy Ritchie's "The Gentlemen." As People pointed out, the series, which stars Theo James and Kaya Scodelario, films in the UK, which could explain Harry and Meghan's seemingly-out-of-left-field move across the pond. 

The timing has certainly raised eyebrows, particularly because Meghan's potential return to the screen would require her to spend more time in the country where she was so wildly unhappy. Although nothing about her involvement in "The Gentlemen" has been officially confirmed, the possibility has fueled speculation that her career is the reason for the family's relocation—even if it is temporary.

Yet another theory floating around as a reason behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's seemingly sudden move back to the UK has to do with King Charles. In February 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that the king had been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing a procedure to treat an enlarged prostate weeks prior. "His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual," a statement from the palace read in part, according to People magazine. 

The king has since returned to his royal duties and appears to be in good spirits, though it's unclear what type of cancer he was diagnosed with. In December 2025, Charles announced that treatment was working and would be lessened in 2026. "This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years," he said, according to People. 

Despite the good news, rumors have suggested Harry and Meghan are moving back to the UK to mend their relationship with the king amid his ongoing illness. Those rumors could stem from Harry's comments about his father in 2025. "There's no point in continuing to fight any more. Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has," Harry told BBC News at the time.

Perhaps one of the more believable rumors on this list is that Prince Harry wants to patch things up with his brother, Prince William, as the two reportedly haven't even spoken to one another in years. The break in the relationship between the brothers—who used to be incredibly close—has been upsetting from the outside, especially given their history. However, rumor has it that Harry wants to reconcile, but William does not. 

"William especially seems to have zero interest in mending their relationship," royal expert Rachel Bowie, host of the "Royally Obsessed" podcast, said, according to The International News. "But with Prince Harry local again, how long can William avoid the issue? ... If Harry's goal is to mend things with his brother, their proximity will likely be a repeated headline until William decides to, at least publicly, nip it in the bud," she added.

Of course, simply living in the same country doesn't mean the brothers will suddenly repair their relationship. William has his own family and royal responsibilities, while Harry and Meghan are expected to maintain their lives outside the monarchy. Still, being back in the UK could make an eventual meeting between the brothers far easier than it would be with Harry living thousands of miles away in California. For royal watchers, it appears to be a step in the right direction, even if that's not the reason behind the move.

Something else the public may consider when trying to piece together the reason behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to move back to the UK is the Invictus Games. Harry created the international sporting event, which gives wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans an opportunity to compete in a competition designed to celebrate their resilience and recovery. The event has become one of Harry's most meaningful projects since stepping away from royal duties, and he has remained closely involved over the years. 

The 2027 Invictus Games are set to take place in Birmingham, returning to the UK for the first time since the inaugural games held in 2014. With the Duke of Sussex so involved in the organization, it seems fitting that he'd want to be in the UK to prepare for the upcoming event, though it won't take place until July 2027. That said, Harry's involvement with the Invictus Games is not simply ceremonial. 

He has attended multiple games around the world and has remained a prominent face of the organization, making the upcoming return to his home country significant. If Harry and Meghan plan to stay in the UK a while, being there ahead of the 2027 games could give Harry time to prepare and reconnect with the people behind the event. It could also give him a reason to maintain a regular presence in Britain without returning to royal life.

Prince Harry never knew what life outside of the royal family looked like. When he was born, his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, was the monarch, and while he may not have understood the significance then, his father was poised to become king. Stepping down as a senior working member of the royal family and moving to California was undoubtedly a culture shock for Harry, who spent more than 35 years in the UK before relocating. Now that he and Meghan Markle are officially settling into their new digs, sources say that the Duke of Sussex is feeling homesick. 

"Harry never really stopped missing home. He's missed that sense of connection and belonging. Britain is still home in many ways," a source close to the couple told People magazine. And, as for Meghan, she's reportedly open to the idea. "Meghan feels very fortunate that they're able to give Archie and Lilibet the opportunity to experience both worlds," another source said.

It's unknown how long Harry and Meghan plan to live in the UK with Archie and Lilibet, but it could give Harry the chance to reconnect with his home country while allowing his children to experience his side of the family. Whether the arrangement becomes a long-term change or simply an extended stay, the return marks a significant shift for a couple who spent years building a life across the Atlantic.

Another Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marriage rumor has been steaming up the Internet since the two tied the knot. While it may seem counterintuitive for a couple having marital problems to move back to the place where their problems began, some people believe that the move is a sort of last-ditch effort to save their relationship—allegedly.

"Harry is deeply unhappy, and Meghan knows she cannot keep asking him to live a life that is making him miserable," a source told Naughty But Nice in August 2026.  "Meghan is not doing this because she wants to. She is doing it because she believes she has to. She does not want to lose Harry, and she knows something has to change."

As the source suggests, the move isn't necessarily about starting over in a new place so much as changing the circumstances that reportedly strained the relationship. Harry has long been described as unhappy with life in California, while Meghan would be giving up some of the life she worked to build there. If the claims are true, the UK could give the couple a chance to reconnect and decide if a different environment can help get their relationship back on track. Harry initially moved to California for Meghan's well-being—so perhaps this move signifies a bit of give and take.

Is it possible that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the UK because Harry is worried about his inheritance? Ah, another rumor to tackle head-on. The theory was brought up by royal biographer Robert Jobson, who spoke about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's move to the UK on an August 2026 episode of "The Royalist" podcast. "Harry's coming back because he knows who holds the purse strings. He also knows that when his brother is king, he probably won't get much. So, it needs to get established now," Jobson said. 

While one would expect the king to have a plan in place for who gets what when he dies, Jobson believes Harry wants to be sure he and his family are taken care of—fairly and appropriately. 

Harry received millions from Princess Diana's estate when she died in 1997. But Jobson's claim raises questions about Harry's place within the royal family's financial structure. Since stepping away from royal duties, he and Meghan have relied on their own income rather than receiving money from the Sovereign Grant. If Jobson is correct, Harry could be thinking about what his financial future would look like once Prince William is on the throne. For now, however, the inheritance claim is nothing more than a theory.

What if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to move back had nothing to do with Harry? The rumor mill has produced another theory that it was Meghan's idea to head overseas because of the reputation she built in Montecito—if you believe that sort of thing. One that surfaced shortly after Harry and Meghan's decision was made public was that Meghan found it difficult to find help around the house because of her attitude. "Meghan would interview people herself and could come across as really snobbish and rude. Some of them were so offended by the way she spoke to them that word started getting around," a source told Page Six.

If reports are true, it would mean Meghan's reputation had become something of a roadblock in her day-to-day life. She and Harry have spent years building their California circle and keeping their private lives relatively guarded, so the idea that Meghan could be struggling to find household help adds an unexpected wrinkle to their life there. 

So, moving back to the UK would seem like an unusual solution. The Duchess of Sussex has faced plenty of criticism from British media and royal watchers alike, meaning a return to the UK may not solve that particular problem. If anything, it could make it worse. Of course, there is no indication that this was actually a factor in their decision to return to the UK, but some may find it curious nonetheless.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to keep their homes in Montecito and Portugal, while maintaining their new home in the UK—but they'll need quite a bit of money to pay for three houses. At least one source believes the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's move to the UK is strategic based on their earning potential.

"Harry and Meghan aren't abandoning America, but being based in Britain again opens an entirely different marketplace," a source told Radar Online. "Meghan and Harry are especially eyeing the BBC as a potential source of a new cash flow when they move back to Britain."

Although this is just a rumor, it does seem fair to assume that Harry and Meghan will do something to earn money while living in the UK, and perhaps they will find successful outlets to tap into while adjusting to life back across the pond. After all, the couple has never shied away from turning their experiences and connections into business opportunities, and their return to Britain could open doors that simply weren't available to them while living in California.