Prince Harry has returned to live in England with Meghan while remaining furious with members of the Royal Family, friends have claimed.
The 41-year-old Duke of Sussex flew into Birmingham last week with his wife Meghan, 45, and their two children to begin a new life in a private home believed to be in the Cotswolds. Their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, have been enrolled to start at a local prep school this week.
However, friends who caught up with Harry said he is spitting blood at certain royals and still expects an apology six years after leaving the UK. The Cotswolds is an area of rural central England known for its traditional villages and countryside.
Royal rift and frustration with courtiers
Friends who met up with Harry expected to hear noises of contrition and humility after his return, according to a source who spoke to The Mail on Sunday. Instead, the source said there will be no imminent mea culpa from the prince, who remains in what they described as an Oprah mindset.
The source stated that friends were agog to hear Harry still feels angry with members of the Royal Family and frustrated by the men in grey suits who surround his father, King Charles III. Harry has repeatedly accused royal aides of attempting to sabotage his reconciliation with the King, mirroring language used by his late mother, Princess Diana, regarding royal courtiers she believed were undermining her.
Another source noted that friends who have spoken to Harry since his return were surprised to discover that the record has not changed one bit since 2020 and Megxit, calling the situation shocking and quite sad. The insider added that Harry will certainly not issue a public apology for his actions and has whipped himself up all over again, with Diana's legacy acting as a factor.
The sentiment echoes statements Harry made during a 2023 television interview, when he declared: "What I'd really like is some accountability. And an apology to my wife."
Next August will mark 30 years since Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris. During a visit to the UK last month, Harry and Meghan visited Diana's grave at her childhood home of Althorp, where Meghan later shared social media photos of their two children carrying bunches of flowers through the estate grounds.
Private jet flight and financial backing
For their return to Britain last week, the Sussexes arrived on a private jet believed to have been chartered from Planet Nine Private Air, a California-based operator. The flight is estimated to cost approximately $12,000, or £9,000, per hour of flight time.
Yesterday, Page Six in the New York Post reported that the couple have enlisted the assistance of hedge-fund billionaire Ian Wace for their relocation back to Britain. The celebrity column claimed that Wace, the founding partner of Marshall Wace LLP, one of the largest hedge funds in the world, is helping finance the move as a long-term friend of the couple. The Sussexes also stayed on Wace's private Scottish island of Tanera Mor during a recent holiday.
The couple are currently awaiting a new assessment of their security needs after losing their automatic right to armed police protection when they stepped down as working royals in 2020. In the meantime, Harry's security adviser, David Langdown, is believed to have established a team of British security personnel to protect the family. The Sussexes will also retain their existing properties in Montecito, California, and in Portugal.
Harry and Meghan originally quit as working members of the Royal Family in 2020 before relocating to the United States. Relations with senior royals were further strained by revelations published in Harry's memoir, Spare, as well as several broadcast interviews, including a high-profile sitting with Oprah Winfrey.
Potential appearance at The Diana Award
Following her return to Britain, Meghan could join Harry at a high-profile fundraiser for The Diana Award on September 18, according to reports in The Mail on Sunday. Attending the glitzy dinner and awards ceremony would mark a symbolic moment for the duchess by connecting her directly to the legacy of Harry's late mother.
The Diana Award is a charity established to celebrate young people who make a difference to the lives of others. It represents one of the final formal charitable links between Harry and his brother William, Prince of Wales, who made an appearance on behalf of the charity earlier this summer.
Sources indicate the event is expected to be staged at Raffles London at The OWO, a hotel located in the historic Old War Office building in Whitehall. Harry is expected to take the lead at the ceremony, as the brothers tend to take turns leading events for the charity. A source noted that the two brothers will not be attending an event together any time soon, especially if Meghan is present.
Organisers for The Diana Award began seeking wealthy individuals to buy tables for the fundraiser this summer. A source suggested that while Meghan's attendance was not yet confirmed, the occasion would serve as a high-profile setting for her London debut. However, another insider warned that an appearance by the duchess would cause uneasiness at Kensington Palace by placing her alongside Harry at an event tied directly to Diana's memory. Save-the-date cards for the event were distributed two weeks ago.
A spokesman for The Diana Award stated that the charity is in the early stages of considering how to mark the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death next year, adding that no plans have been agreed, no event confirmed, and no decisions made regarding attendance or participation. A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made no comment when approached.
