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Meghan Markle has set a stringent condition for her return to the UK, following a four-year absence since stepping down from her royal duties. The Duchess of Sussex, who was last seen in Britain at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022, has stipulated that she will only come back if she and her husband, Prince Harry, are guaranteed their own residence with robust security.
Royal author Tom Quinn revealed, “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,” as reported by The Mirror. The couple previously lived at Frogmore Cottage, a residence gifted to them by the late Queen Elizabeth as a wedding present.
However, their rights to Frogmore Cottage ended when they stepped down from their royal roles in 2020. InStyle reported on Quinn’s account of the situation, noting that the eviction from Frogmore Cottage was a significant blow to Prince Harry. Quinn explained, “At the time, few people realized what a slap in the face the eviction from Frogmore felt like for Harry; it was the last straw. Harry was absolutely furious and in tears about being evicted from Frogmore.
He felt his father had no right to do it and that it was purely vindictive.” He further elaborated, “Harry couldn’t see that choosing to stop being a working royal would inevitably mean being deprived of his royal residence. Harry took it as a cruel rejection, a painful reminder of all that he felt when his father fought with his mother during their long-drawn-out, painful divorce.”
Quinn also commented on the broader implications of the situation: “Whenever Charles puts his foot down, it seems unfair to Harry who feels that after everything that has happened to him, he should always get whatever he wants, whether that be security paid for by the British taxpayer or a luxurious UK home.”
If Meghan’s conditions are met, there is a strong possibility that their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will accompany them on a visit to the UK. Quinn noted, “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 U.K. but it’s going to take a lot of diplomacy to get to the point where Archie and Lilibet can develop a genuine and warm relationship with their cousins George, Charlotte, and Louis.”
Prince Harry has been engaged in legal battles over security matters, including a recent court case to reinstate protection for his family. In June, he won the right to appeal a court decision related to this issue.
