Reverse Megxit: 5 awkward questions as Harry and Meghan plot British return

LONDON —Megxit — the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the U.K. five years ago — sparked criticism, fanfare, and many, many newspaper headlines. Now they’re coming back. The Telegraph and the Sun reported Monday night that the pair will return to England at the end of the month, and live in a private residence outside London with their two young children, who will start school in September. The couple — whose decisions have often been the subject of political debate, and whose break with the Royal family sparked broader questions about the future of the British monarchy — cannot expect a quiet return. POLITICO runs through the awkward questions their homecoming poses. Will they take up Royal duties again? Harry and Meghan have made clear they are not returning as official working Royals. They stepped back from those roles in January 2020, more than a year before they permanently moved to the U.S. There was some debate over whether the pair could have a “half-in, half-out” approach to Royal engagements — taking up commercial opportunities at the same time as representing the family — but the late Queen Elizabeth II made it clear before her death that she did not support that approach. A person holds a smartphone displaying Netflix’s new Meghan Markle show, “With Love, Meghan”, in front of a TV screen showing footage of the show, in Los Angeles, March 4, 2025. | Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images When they move back to the U.K., Meghan will continue running her lifestyle brand As Ever, according to the Telegraph, and Harry will likely continue his charity work. Will U.K. taxpayers foot the bill for their security? Harry previously cited a long-running row over his family’s security as one reason why he would not feel safe returning to the U.K. When the Duke of Sussex stepped down from his duties as a working royal and moved overseas, his security was downgraded. He unsuccessfully challenged this decision in the courts on multiple occasions. The family has not been given taxpayer-funded security on previous visits, and U.K. officials will not comment on future security arrangements. The current cost of providing security to the Royal family is not public for reasons of national security. A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. PC Jim Hyman with Yury and PC Paul Shutler with Gus of Thames Valley Police Joint Operations Dog Unit in Home Park, Windsor, west of London on April 19, 2018, as security preparations get underway ahead of next month’s wedding of Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. | Pool photo by Geoff Pugh/AFP via Getty Images “It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.” Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also declined to comment on whether the government will assist the pair with their security costs, telling broadcasters their return is a “private matter.” Will the couple’s critics chill out? The couple sparked fierce criticism from U.K. politicians over their decision to leave for the U.S. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he tried to convince Prince Harry not to leave, and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said in 2019 that the Duke of Sussex’s popularity had “fallen off a cliff” since meeting his wife. U.K. politicians are yet to say exactly what they think of the Megxit reverse, but across the pond MAGA-aligned commentators are giving their two cents’ worth. “They are moving back to Britain because they don’t like President Trump,” Katie Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, said on X. U.K. politicians may not be able to resist giving their view on the Royal return — particularly if questions over taxpayer-funded security or public-facing roles bubble up agai