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Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will reportedly return to Britain after six years of living in the US, a move that triggered a long period of strained relations with King Charles III, the Prince and Princess of Wales and others in the royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are expected to relocate to the UK this month.
The family will reportedly live at a private, non-royal residence outside London, but they plan to maintain their home in California and another property in Portugal.
Here is a timeline charting the major moments since the family moved to the US in 2020.
2020
January
Harry and Meghan announce they will step down as working royals. The decision comes after a period marked by open warfare with the media over claimed intrusion and bullying.
“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen,” the couple say.
June
The couple moves to Meghan’s native California, settling in the wealthy seaside enclave of Montecito near Santa Barbara. Media reports put the 2020 purchase price of their 16-bedroom home at $14.7m.
2021
March
Harry and Meghan are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on CBS.
In a series of stunning revelations, Meghan accuses the royal family of fostering an atmosphere of racial hostility so intense that she came close to suicide while pregnant with Archie. Meghan also claims members of the royal family had openly expressed concerns about how dark Archie’s skin would be.
In response, Queen Elizabeth issues 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.”
June
The couple’s second child, Lilibet, is born in California. She is named after the family nickname for the Queen.
2022
August
Harry files a lawsuit against the Home Office and the Metropolitan police over his security arrangements in the UK since he stepped down as a working royal.
September
While Harry and Meghan are visiting London, Queen Elizabeth dies. They stay in Britain for her funeral. Ahead of the funeral, Harry and Meghan join William and Kate in meeting wellwishers outside Windsor castle.
2023
January
Harry publishes his memoir Spare, detailing his relationship with his family.
Among the most notable revelations, Harry recounts what he says was a physical attack by William as their relationship fell apart over his marriage to Meghan. Describing a confrontation at his London home in 2019, Harry says William called Meghan “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”.
May
Harry attends his father’s coronation alone after Meghan and his young children opted not to attend and to remain in California. He walks into Westminster Abbey alone and is seated two rows behind William.
2024
February
Buckingham Palace announces King Charles has been diagnosed with a form of cancer and will postpone public engagements to undergo treatment. Harry is photographed arriving at his father’s London residence for a brief meeting.
2025
April
Appearing at a high court appeal over the changes to his police protection, Harry’s lawyer warns his “life is at stake”. The Home Office, defending the appeal, says that Harry’s “bespoke” security arrangements are designed to accommodate his “unique set of circumstances”.
May
Harry loses the legal challenge over his security arrangements, allowing the government to proceed with a “bespoke”, and cheaper, level of protection for his family. Three senior judges reject Harry’s claim he had been “singled out” for “inferior treatment”.
Later that same day, Harry says he wants reconciliation with his family, explaining that his father no longer speaks to him due to the security row.
Speaking in California, Harry says: “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.”
August
Harry and Meghan sign a fresh deal with Netflix. The couple, who struck a five-year deal in 2020 reportedly worth $100m (£78m), had collaborated with Netflix on a number of projects. Media reports had suggested that poor viewing figures for some of the projects meant that Netflix would not extend the deal.
2026
June
Buckingham Palace says Harry will not be staying at the palace during a visit to London, despite the Duke of Sussex’s team earlier announcing publicly he had accepted an invitation to do so.
July
Harry and other high-profile British figures lose their privacy lawsuits against the Daily Mail’s publisher. Harry and the group face a legal bill of up to £50m after losing their case.
July
King Charles meets in private with Harry and his family, having not seen the children for four years. According to reports, Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet were hosted by Charles and Queen Camilla at the king’s private residence in Gloucestershire.
August
The couple reportedly plan to move with Archie and Lilibet from California to Britain for an extended period. The children will begin school there in September, but the couple will not return to royal duties, according to reports.
