The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are unlikely to return to Britain together in the foreseeable future after Prince Harry admitted he has “genuine concerns” for his wife Meghan’s safety in the country.

Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals in 2020, leaving Frogmore Cottage in Windsor for Montecito, California, where they now live with their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four. The quiet enclave near Santa Barbara—also home to celebrities including Rob Lowe, Oprah Winfrey, and Gwyneth Paltrow—has become the couple’s permanent base.

Since settling in the United States, Meghan, 44, has launched her own lifestyle brand and found success with her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, while Harry, 40, has continued his work with the Invictus Games and released his bestselling memoir Spare in 2023. The couple’s move was always framed as a new chapter, but Harry has made clear that fears over Meghan’s treatment in the UK remain a decisive factor in their absence.

Harry’s “genuine concerns” over Meghan’s safety

In last year’s ITV documentary Tabloids on Trial, Harry spoke candidly about his reluctance to bring Meghan back to his home country, citing the British media’s aggressive coverage of her.

“All it takes is for one lone actor who reads this stuff to act on what they’ve read,” he said. “And whether it’s a knife or acid, 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.”