Prince Harry has opened up about why he and Meghan
Markle moved their family back to Britain.
In a newly released interview with GQ's Zach Baron,
filmed in September during his trip to New York City, the Duke of Sussex spoke
about what led him and Meghan, 45, to relocate with their children, Prince
Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. The couple stepped back from their royal
roles in 2020 and moved to Meghan's home state of California later that year,
when Archie was a baby. Lilibet was born there the following year. In August
2026, the Sussexes announced they would return to Britain for an extended period,
with their children enrolled in school, and they arrived in the UK the same
month.
Asked why he moved back, the 42-year-old answered:
"Opportunities for the family." He said that putting the children in
a British school has meant a lot to him, adding that he did not realise how
important it was until now. The kids have been in school for two weeks, he
said, and "they're loving it." He stressed that he was not
criticising American schools, but said it is valuable for children aged 7 and 5
to experience two different cultures.
Harry also said he wanted to be closer to his family
and to spend more than a few days or a week at a time on UK soil. He added that
it has been nice to be near friends and family, with endless playdates helping
the children settle in.
He admitted that he and Meghan had thought about
moving back, but said it was not planned far in advance. "When certain
stars align, and it's clear that this should or probably will end up being the
case, then we lean into that," he explained. Asked whether the move was
driven more by life in the US or by something he was craving back home, he said
it was "a combination of both." After six years in the US, with only
short trips back to the UK, he wanted his whole family there, to show his
children where he grew up and let them enjoy some of the good experiences he
had. That, he said, led to serious thinking and the decision to do it now.
On his relationship with the British media, which led
him to launch several legal actions, Harry said the situation has improved and
that his family is now better equipped to handle it. He said that once people
have talked about it and raised awareness, others see it for what it is, which
makes the environment slightly easier. While that may not stop the behaviour,
he hopes the behaviour itself will change. He acknowledged that some battles
had to be fought, but said he hopes everyone can draw a line under them and
leave aspects of the past behind.
"I am optimistic. I'm hopeful," Harry said,
adding that he is not naive, though he has been in the past. He said respect is
a large part of it: "I can respect them if they respect me and our
position," which he described as quite clear now.
The GQ interview is the first Harry has given since
his family officially returned to the UK.
Comments:
Leave a Reply