Meghan Markle may be preparing to return to the UK after revitalising her personal brand, but royal experts suggest the move could be uncomfortable for some members of the Royal Family.
The Duchess of Sussex has not been in Britain for several years, last visiting in 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. While Prince Harry has since made multiple trips home — including attending King Charles’ coronation — Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, have remained in the United States.
That could soon change. Reports indicate the Sussexes may have their UK police security reinstated, a development that could make Harry more willing to bring his family with him on future visits.
Relations between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family remain strained. Prince Harry and Prince William are widely believed to be estranged, with tensions dating back well before Harry and Meghan stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California.
In his memoir Spare, Harry revealed that cracks had already appeared among the so-called “Fab Four” — William, Kate, Harry and Meghan — in the lead-up to his 2018 wedding. He detailed a disagreement between Meghan and Kate over bridesmaids’ dresses, which he described as one of several incidents that deepened divisions.
Royal commentator Shane Watson, writing in The Sunday Times, suggested Meghan’s possible return would be especially difficult for the Prince and Princess of Wales to accept — not because of reconciliation, but because of her renewed success.
According to Watson, a technical glitch on Meghan’s lifestyle brand website briefly revealed stock levels, allowing observers to estimate sales. If those calculations are correct, Meghan may have earned as much as £26.7 million from sales of her signature fruit spread, signalling major commercial success just a year after launching the brand.
Watson argued that Meghan would not be returning to the UK in a subdued role, but as a successful businesswoman from California — a position likely to heighten existing tensions.
“She would return as part of the Californian business elite, representing wealth and success,” the commentator noted, adding that this could make her presence even harder for senior royals to accept.
Relations reportedly worsened further after a 2018 comment attributed to Meghan about Kate’s “baby brain,” though Harry said attempts were made privately to repair the damage. He later described one such meeting as largely unproductive, noting visible tension and unresolved grievances.
Since the Sussexes’ move to the US, public disclosures — including their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, Netflix documentary, and Harry’s memoir — appear to have widened the rift. Harry has admitted that he withheld certain details from Spare, fearing they would permanently damage his relationship with his brother and father.
Despite speculation about a UK return, it remains unclear whether any visit by Meghan would mark a step toward reconciliation — or simply underscore how far relations within the Royal Family have drifted.
