Harry calls return to Britain 'great' as Invictus Games plans and security questions dominate

By Jessica Rawnsley

The Duke of Sussex has said he is delighted to be living in Britain again, describing his return to British soil as "great" during an interview with Canadian television network CTV. The remarks came after he completed a charity skydive near Toronto, and they offered one of the clearest indications yet of how the former royal is framing his new chapter at home.

Speaking to CTV, the Duke said the relocation has gone smoothly for his family. He noted that his children are settled and happy at school, and that being back allows him to concentrate on the Invictus Games, which he will host in Birmingham in July next year. In the same breath, he tied the move to his own ability to focus on the sporting competition for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans — an event that has become the centrepiece of his post-royal work.

That work took him in 2020 to the position of stepping back as a senior working royal, alongside the Duchess of Sussex. The pair relocated to California, beginning a new life away from the British spotlight, and spent roughly six years in the United States. Having returned to live in Britain last month, they are now full-time residents rather than occasional visitors — a distinction that carries consequences well beyond family life.

Their base is thought to be a private property outside London, in the Cotswolds area. The couple's return has already been marked publicly: in a post published on 13 September, Meghan offered a glimpse of family life back in England, sharing images of the couple and their children. The Duchess, who has otherwise kept a notably low profile since moving back, has made few public appearances.

The children's adjustment has not been without difficulty. Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, were moved to a different school only days after they first started, according to reports. Members of the Sussexes' private security team raised concerns about the distance involved and heavy traffic on the route to the school, prompting the change. The episode underlines the practical difficulties of relocating a young family back under the scrutiny that comes with royal connections.

Those practical questions are about to be formally revisited. The Sussexes are awaiting a decision on whether they will receive taxpayer-funded security in the UK. Ravec, the committee which oversees royal and VIP protection, is set to reconsider the family's level of police protection now that they are full-time residents rather than visitors. The review is significant because police protection for senior royals has traditionally been provided automatically, without cost to the individuals concerned — a position that becomes more complicated once a family lives permanently in the country while carrying out no official duties.

Part of that complexity was laid bare in a letter authorised by the King, which reportedly came as a surprise to the couple. The letter reiterated that they are private citizens and set out guidance for senior government and military figures about how they should be treated. For the Sussexes, the intervention appears to have settled a question that had been publicly contested: their status no longer carries the institutional weight it once did, whatever their popularity or profile.

The move has also been accompanied by visible strain in relations with the Royal Family. The Duke and King Charles have had a difficult relationship since the Sussexes gave up their roles as senior working royals and departed for the US. The letter, the security review and the broader question of where the family fits within public life all sit against that backdrop.

Harry's public engagements since returning have been tightly connected to the Invictus Games. Last week he visited a school in Birmingham to launch an education programme inspired by the competition, taking part in a pickleball session with pupils and joining a science lesson on prosthetic design. The visit illustrates a distinct pattern: rather than traditional royal duties, his work has focused on sport, rehabilitation and the experiences of service personnel and their families.

The games themselves are set to be held in Birmingham from 10 to 17 July next year, with about 550 competitors from 25 nations expected to take part in 12 adaptive sports. The scale of the event gives the Duke a substantial platform, and his comment about focusing on it suggests he intends to be visibly present on British soil for the duration.

His Toronto skydive, meanwhile, was undertaken to honour a promise made to a 102-year-old World War Two veteran and to raise awareness of military charities — a reminder that his charitable work now travels with him, rather than being tied to a single country.

Asked directly what had prompted the family's return, Harry said there were "lots of reasons" but declined to elaborate. That non-answer leaves several questions outstanding: how the children will settle after the school switch, whether Ravec grants taxpayer-funded protection, and how the strained relationship with the Palace develops now that the family is living in Britain full time.

For supporters, the move is being read as a recommitment to British life, with the Invictus Games providing a clear focus. For critics, the unanswered questions about cost, security and royal duty will determine whether that return marks a genuine reset — or simply a change of address.