Back in 2020 it seemed the Sussexes were inseparable having made the giant step for royal-kind when they quit The Firm to start their new life in the exclusive Californian enclave of Montecito.
But after four years of sipping super-greens, playing polo and hobnobbing with the Hollywood elite, it seems Prince Harry’s itch for travel (and potentially, a London pint) has flared up, with the estranged royal spending last week travelling solo to New York before jetting to London to attend the brilliant WellChild Awards on Monday evening.
So far, Harry, 40, has maintained that he will juggle his family life with wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie, five, and three-year-old Lilibet, with frequent trips to represent his charitable causes, but it’s becoming clear that the couple are headed towards leading increasingly separate lives.
While Harry – who has made four trips to London already this year – is reportedly attempting to make amends with his family following King Charles and Kate Middleton's cancer treatment and is said to have been hunting for a home-from-home in the UK for several months, Meghan, 43, is apparently adamant that she will not return to the UK.
Now, a source tells heat, ‘It’s getting to a point where Harry is going to be going back in the UK nearly every other month. He wants to keep his ties to his home country, both professionally and socially – and, of course, building bridges with his family is also high on his agenda.
‘Meghan doesn’t want to set foot in England after the way she was been treated. She feels like people are out for her blood – and her wellbeing is a huge priority for Harry. The tragic reality is – as strong as their marriage still may be – they’re going to be spending a lot of time apart. It will just be a question of how they manage that.’
The last time Meghan returned to the UK was for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022. And following the soft launch of her brand, American Riviera Orchard, earlier this year, alongside her rumoured political ambitions, it’s clear that her plans for the future are very much US-based.
Harry previously confirmed that he would continue to do more solo travelling due to his fears over security in the UK. He’s currently involved in a legal fight to get high-level police protection during visits and in an interview with ITV he voiced his concerns that Meghan could fall victim to a “knife or acid” attack on UK soil, adding, ‘These are things that are genuine concerns for me. It's one of the reasons why I won't bring my wife back to this country.’
Now the source adds, ‘He’s had to accept that Meghan is just not going to come with him. She won’t go back into the lion’s den and she’s also got way too much going on with her brand to be flying out of town every few weeks. It’s something that’s not up for negotiation, and Meghan won’t kick up a fuss about Harry’s time in the UK in return. He is terribly homesick and is still a Brit at heart. He’s happy in the UK, but also sad that Meghan can’t be with him.’
The Sussexes have faced a huge backlash over the past year for their ‘faux’ Royal tours, including their recent controversial trip to Columbia last month. And while they are believed to be planning a third outing later this year, we’re told a lot of Harry’s travel will continue to be to the UK – something the source says Meghan feels 'anxious' about.
‘Harry is ultimately going to live a pretty part-time existence between the two countries and understandably it’s giving Meghan quite a lot of anxiety, says the insider. ‘She’s being supportive because she doesn’t want to see Harry homesick, but part of her feels uneasy about having him away so much. It’s far from ideal, but there’s no other solution.’