Duchess Meghan makes surprise UK return with Archie and Lilibet as royal reunion hopes build
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is set to return to the United Kingdom this week with her children, Archie and Lilibet, after a four-year absence, though all public appearances have been cancelled.
An unexpected change of plans
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle (44), is set to arrive in the United Kingdom imminently with her children, Prince Archie (7) and Princess Lilibet (5). British media, including The Sun and Hello!, reported on 10 July 2026 that the family will join Prince Harry, who has been in the country for several days. Prior to this reversal, the trip was reportedly cancelled due to ongoing concerns about the family's security arrangements.
Einen öffentlichen Auftritt soll es nicht geben.
A strictly private stay
The visit will be entirely private. Meghan had originally been scheduled to accompany Harry to an Invictus Games engagement at the NEC in Birmingham on Friday, but this has now been removed from her programme. Earlier plans to attend a visit to the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London on Wednesday were also dropped. Reports suggest the stay could be as short as 24 hours.
- Meghan attends Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, her last visit to the UK.
- Archie and Lilibet attend Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, their last visit to the UK.
- Harry arrives in the UK for Invictus Games commitments and his High Court case.
- Harry loses a High Court case against the publisher of the Daily Mail.
- Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet are reported to be travelling to the UK.
The security question
Meghan's absence from the UK since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 has been largely attributed to security concerns. Since the couple stepped back as working royals in 2020, their UK police protection has been assessed on a case-by-case basis. Harry has repeatedly stated he does not feel safe bringing his children to the country without what he considers an adequate protection system. This week, he is reported to be organising additional private security to make the visit possible.
Hope for a family reunion
The arrival of the children has intensified speculation about a meeting with their grandfather, King Charles III (77). Charles has not seen Archie and Lilibet in person since the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. The Daily Mirror reports that the King has instructed his staff to find a suitable time in the schedule for a meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Any such gathering is expected to happen strictly out of the public eye.
Charles soll seine Mitarbeiter angewiesen haben, in den Gesprächen mit dem Herzog und der Herzogin von Sussex einen passenden Termin zu finden.
A difficult week for Harry
The Duke of Sussex's return to his home country has been turbulent. He initially travelled alone after Meghan and the children stayed behind at an undisclosed location in Europe. Accommodation arrangements also fell through after an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace was reportedly declined, and the window to organise it later closed. Adding to the strain, Harry and six other claimants lost their High Court case against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, with judges dismissing all allegations of unlawful information gathering by journalists.
