After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent six years in California, royal watchers are wondering what really caused the couple to head back to the U.K.
“It is clear their time in America did not go to plan,” former royal butler Grant Harrold exclusively shares with Us. “We see that through the Netflix deal and some of their other commercial decisions. I think there are multiple factors at play. I suppose the dream life in the U.S. that they imagined didn’t come off.”
Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, initially signed a $100 million, multiyear deal to produce their own TV shows and movies with Netflix in 2020.
Although they have not completely cut ties with the couple, Netflix ended their partnership with Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, in March after two seasons of With Love, Meghan.
Harrold, 48, who previously worked with King Charles III and is now a British etiquette expert and broadcaster, noted that Harry and Meghan aren’t the first to make a big move and have a change of heart.
“This happens to people all the time,” Harrold shares. “Many move abroad and then change their minds and move back. It just happens that this certain decision is incredibly public.”
News broke on Wednesday, August 19, that Harry and Meghan are relocating their children to the U.K. for an extended period starting later this month. The couple’s son, Prince Archie, 7, and daughter, Princess Lilibet, 5, are scheduled to begin school there in September.
Harry and Meghan will reportedly keep their home in Montecito, California, and their vacation residence in Portugal while having non-royal property in Britain.
Meghan is expected to continue leading her lifestyle brand from their international home while also planning a return to acting. Harry, meanwhile, will be spending more time supporting U.K.-based charities and patronages.
While the moving news caught many fans by surprise, Harrold is hopeful that some members of the royal family, including Charles, 77, were made aware long before it became front-page news.
“We know Harry and the king have been working on their relationship for the last few months. Even if it was only confirmed [to Charles over] the weekend, I would like to think there has been back and forth between them,” Harrold, who is a partner of OLBG says. “I think Harry would have taken his dad’s advice on aspects of the move and taken his pointers. Harry knows that doing this behind his dad’s back would cause more upset, and I imagine he’s doing everything he can to keep things sweet at the moment.”
