Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has set a "major condition" for her potential return to the United Kingdom, according to royal author and expert Tom Quinn. Speaking to The Mirror, Quinn revealed that Meghan is only prepared to come back to the UK if she and her husband, Prince Harry, have a place of their own to stay and the appropriate security measures in place.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who married in 2018, resided in England until 2020 when they decided to step down from their roles as senior working royals. The couple then relocated from their home in Windsor to a mansion in California, United States. Since their move across the pond, Harry and Meghan have rarely returned to the UK, with the Duchess last seen at the late Queen's funeral in 2022.
Quinn shed light on Meghan's stance, stating, "Meghan has said she's only prepared to return to England if she and Harry have a place of their own and the security they both feel is essential. Meghan will never return to the UK and stay with her husband's relatives."
The royal expert also highlighted the potential challenges in establishing a strong bond between the Sussex children, Archie and Lili, and their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. "If the couple manage to find a permanent home and sort out the security issue they will certainly want to bring their children to the UK, but it's going to take a lot of diplomacy to get to the point where Archie and Lili are able to develop a genuine and warm relationship with their cousins George, Charlotte, and Louis," Quinn added.
The Sussexes' security concerns have been a contentious issue since they stepped down as senior working royals in 2020, resulting in the loss of their full taxpayer-funded police protection. In a recent development, Prince Harry won the right to take his case to the Appeal Court against the High Court's decision that the level of protection he and his family receive in Britain is reasonable.
Furthermore, in June 2023, Harry and Meghan were evicted from Frogmore Cottage, their former residence in the UK, leaving them without a permanent base in the country. This move has further complicated their ability to visit and spend time with the royal family.
The couple's representatives have been contacted for comment on Meghan's reported conditions for returning to the UK, but no official statement has been released as of yet.
As the Sussexes navigate the complexities of their relationship with the royal family and their security concerns, it remains to be seen how often they will visit the UK in the future. The lack of a permanent residence and the ongoing legal battle over their protection measures have undoubtedly added to the challenges they face in maintaining strong ties with their relatives and ensuring their children develop meaningful relationships with their cousins.
