Megxit Comes Full Circle: From Royal Exit and Oprah Bombshell to Harry and Meghan’s Shock Return to Britain
Six years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walked away from royal life and moved to the US, the story of “Megxit” appears to have come full circle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing to return to Britain at the end of August for an extended period, bringing their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, with them.
Their decision marks a dramatic reversal after years of public disputes with the Royal Family, explosive interviews, Harry’s controversial memoir, bitter legal battles and repeated criticism of life in Britain.
Harry had even said last year that he could not imagine bringing his wife and children back to the UK because he believed it was unsafe.
Now, however, the Sussexes are preparing to make Britain their family base for at least part of the year, with Archie and Lilibet expected to attend school there.
JANUARY 2020 — THE SANDRINGHAM SUMMIT
The Megxit saga began in January 2020 when Harry and Meghan announced that they intended to step back as senior working royals and become financially independent.
The couple reportedly wanted a role that would allow them to support the Queen while also earning their own income.
The proposal for a so-called “half-in, half-out” royal existence quickly became unworkable.
Queen Elizabeth II subsequently held the now-famous Sandringham Summit with senior members of the family to decide what would happen next.
The eventual choice was clear: Harry and Meghan would step away from their senior royal roles.
MARCH 2020 — HARRY AND MEGHAN LEAVE ROYAL LIFE
By March 2020, the Sussexes had formally stepped down and relocated to North America as the Covid pandemic took hold.
What was initially presented as a new chapter soon became a permanent separation from working royal life.
In 2021, Harry lost his honorary military appointments and royal patronages, further cementing the break.
That same year, the couple welcomed their daughter, Lilibet Diana.
Her name later became another source of tension, with the Sussexes saying Queen Elizabeth had approved the use of her childhood nickname.
A Palace source subsequently disputed aspects of that account.
MARCH 2021 — THE OPRAH BOMBSHELL
Leaving Britain did not end the controversy.
In March 2021, Harry and Meghan sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a highly publicised interview that sent shockwaves through the Royal Family.
Meghan spoke about her struggles during her time as a working royal and said she had experienced suicidal thoughts.
The couple also alleged that an unnamed member of the Royal Family had made comments about the potential skin colour of their future child.
Meghan discussed a disagreement involving Kate Middleton and claimed the Palace had failed to correct media reports about what happened.
The Queen responded cautiously, saying the issues raised would be handled privately while adding the now-famous phrase that “recollections may vary.”
The Sussexes subsequently signed major commercial deals, including agreements with Netflix and Spotify.
DECEMBER 2022 — NETFLIX
The controversy intensified after the release of Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary.
The couple revisited their experiences inside the Royal Family and described their decision to leave Britain.
The documentary arrived just months after Queen Elizabeth II’s death and the beginning of King Charles III’s reign.
JANUARY 2023 — HARRY’S SPARE
Harry then went further with his memoir, Spare.
The book contained deeply personal accounts of his relationship with his family, including an alleged physical confrontation with Prince William.
Harry also criticised his father and described Queen Camilla in highly damaging terms.
He later suggested he had enough material for another book but had chosen not to reveal everything.
The memoir deepened the already significant divide between Harry and other members of the Royal Family.
THE LEGAL BATTLES
While the family drama continued, Harry also became embroiled in a series of legal disputes.
One of the most persistent battles involved his security arrangements in Britain.
After stepping down as a senior royal and moving abroad, Harry lost the automatic level of armed police protection he had previously received.
He challenged the decision through the courts, arguing that his family faced significant security risks when visiting Britain.
He ultimately lost his legal challenge.
The dispute became particularly important because Harry later said he could not imagine bringing Meghan and their children back to Britain without adequate protection.
His legal campaign against the British press also continued, including actions involving major newspaper publishers.
LIFE IN MONTECITO
Away from the Royal Family, Harry and Meghan established a new life in California.
They bought their large Montecito estate and raised Archie and Lilibet there.
Meghan focused on her lifestyle brand, As Ever, while Harry continued working on projects connected to veterans and the Invictus Games.
The couple also launched the Archewell Foundation and pursued various media ventures.
However, not every project proved successful.
Their Spotify partnership ended after one season of Meghan’s Archetypes podcast, while their Netflix relationship was later scaled back.
2024–2025 — A POSSIBLE SHIFT
The relationship between Harry and his family remained strained, but there were signs that the situation might not remain frozen forever.
When King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in 2024, Harry travelled back to Britain to see his father.
Their meeting was brief, but it demonstrated that contact between father and son remained possible.
Harry’s security battle, meanwhile, continued through the courts.
After losing his Court of Appeal challenge in 2025, Harry said he could not see a future in which he would bring his wife and children back to Britain.
Yet reports later suggested he wanted some form of UK base where he could spend time with friends and family without the intense attention surrounding short visits.
2026 — THE RETURN BEGINS
The biggest change came in 2026.
Harry and Meghan began making increasingly visible connections with Britain.
The family returned to the UK during the summer, with Harry attending events connected to the Invictus Games in Birmingham.
During the trip, Harry also reunited with King Charles, who saw Archie and Lilibet in person for the first time in several years.
The family later visited Althorp, the childhood home of Princess Diana, where Harry’s mother is buried.
Photos of the children in Britain provided another indication that the Sussexes’ relationship with the country was changing.
Harry had also spoken publicly about his desire for his children to understand their connection to Britain and their grandmother.
AUGUST 2026 — MEGXIT COMES FULL CIRCLE
Now comes the biggest development of all.
Harry and Meghan are preparing to return to Britain at the end of August and remain for an extended period.
Archie and Lilibet are expected to attend school in the UK.
The family will live in a non-royal residence and will not return as working royals.
They are expected to continue their private business activities rather than resume official royal duties.
Questions remain over their security arrangements, their long-term plans and how their return will affect Harry’s relationship with the rest of the Royal Family.
Most notably, the move comes after years in which Harry and Meghan publicly discussed their difficulties with Britain and the institution they once served.
FROM MEGXIT TO A NEW CHAPTER
What began in 2020 as a dramatic decision to step away from royal life has now produced an extraordinary reversal.
The couple who left Britain for California are preparing to raise their children partly in Britain.
The Duke who once said he could not imagine bringing his family back is now returning with them.
And after years of interviews, documentaries, accusations and legal battles, Harry and Meghan are once again preparing to live much closer to the Royal Family.
Whether this marks a genuine attempt at reconciliation or the beginning of another chapter in the Sussex saga remains one of the biggest questions surrounding their return.