Prince Harry says Archie and Lilibet ‘key to UK return’ with Meghan Markle
Prince Harry has opened up about his decision to return to the UK with Meghan Markle, revealing that he wanted their children Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, to experience a British education.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Nottingham in their first engagement since return to UK(Image: Getty)
Prince Harry has opened up about why he and Meghan Markle made the decision to relocate back to the UK, citing his children’s futures as a major driving force. In a wide-ranging chat with GQ magazine, the Duke of Sussex held nothing back on a host of subjects.
These included his bond with his brother William and father King Charles, as well as his ongoing grief over the loss of his mother Diana, who tragically passed away in 1997 when Harry was just 12 years old. Harry spoke with remarkable candour only weeks after making the move back to British shores.
The Sussexes upped sticks at the end of August and are believed to be putting down roots in the Cotswolds, with the couple already embarking on public engagements.
Meghan has only been spotted in public a few times, but Harry has had a more active role(Image: Getty)
Yet it was personal rather than professional reasons that ultimately lured Harry back to Blighty, with the education of his children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, playing a significant role in the decision.
When quizzed on why he swapped Montecito, California, for England, he responded: “Opportunities for the family. Being able to put the kids in a British school has meant a lot to me.”,
“I didn’t know how important it was to me. I always thought it was going to be something that we would try and do, but now they’ve been in school for two weeks. They’re loving it and it’s just giving them a whole different experience.
“I’m not criticizing American schools. But I think for kids at seven and five, to be able to have that comparison and to have two completely different cultural experiences is so important today.”
Harry also revealed he ‘wanted to show my kids where I grew up’, adding: “Wanting… them to have the experiences that I had, the good rather than necessarily the bad, provided real proper serious thinking as to: This is an opportunity, let’s do it now.”
Prince Harry in a brand new interview with GQ magazine (Image: Bowen Fernie/GQ)
The Duke remains hopeful that his fresh start in Britain won’t be marred by the difficulties he and Meghan encountered during their previous stint in the UK. The pair withdrew from their roles as working Royals in early 2020, relocating to Montecito shortly afterwards.
Following their homecoming, the couple has found themselves locked in a dispute with the King regarding their status, with Buckingham Palace branding them as ‘private citizens’, while the Sussexes favour the term ‘public figures’ to acknowledge their Royal ties.
Security concerns during the school run have prompted them to transfer Archie and Lilibet to a different educational establishment, though the youngsters are believed to be adapting well to their new surroundings.
