Harry and Meghan return to UK after California exile

Topic:Royalty

Prince Harry and Meghan are returning to the UK with their children. (Reuters: Dylan Martinez/File)

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have drawn frequent comparisons with King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, with both couples stepping away from royal life amid a media frenzy.

Like Harry, Edward chose a partner who was divorced and American.

But the announcement that the Sussex family are relocating back to the UK introduces a plot twist to the story of previous royal exiles.

The king who gave it all up for love

Decades before "Megxit" sparked a media storm, it was the scandalous 1937 marriage of King Edward VIII that made headlines around the world.

Only months into his brief reign, Edward announced his intention to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite.

Edward and Wallis Simpson lived primarily in France and the US after they were married. (Supplied: National Media Museum)

The British government and Church of England spoke out against the union, viewing Mrs Wallis as an unsuitable candidate for queen consort.

Mrs Simpson also faced intense criticism in the press.

According to a BBC article from 2020, as the abdication crisis loomed, Mrs Simpson "fled to France, pursued across the country by reporters to Cannes".

While a move to London now brings Meghan and Harry in closer proximity to the royal family, it does not solve the Windsor's complicated dynamics or the deep rift between two brothers.

She also received sack-loads of hate mail.

Edward abdicated in December 1936, having been on the throne for just 325 days and never crowned.

He spoke to the British people from Windsor Castle in what would come to be recognised as one of the most significant broadcasts of the 20th century.

"You must believe me when I tell you that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love," he said.

Edward was made Duke of Windsor and the couple married in France. Only 16 people attended the low-key wedding, and not one member of the British royal family turned up.

King George VI, his younger brother who had succeeded him on the throne, had issued a ban preventing any member of his family from being present.

Wallis Simpson grew up in Maryland, US. (Public Domain)

After the abdication, the couple were financed primarily through a private annual allowance from King George, and were — to all intents and purposes — exiled abroad to live mainly in France and the US.

During the Second World War, Edward was appointed Governor of the Bahamas, a position he held until 1945.

Both died in Paris, Edward in 1972 and his wife in 1986.

They are buried beside each other in Windsor, England.

History repeats

Like Edward VIII, it was Prince Harry's love affair with an American that preceded his rupture with the royal family.

Prince Harry and Meghan moved to the US six years ago after they stepped down from their royal duties in January 2020, though he remains fifth in line to the British throne.

Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry watch a flypast in London, 2018. (AP: Matt Dunham/file)

In a series of interviews and Harry's memoir Spare, the couple said they left Britain to escape the restrictions of royal life and criticised palace officials for being insensitive to Meghan's mental health.

The Duchess of Sussex also disclosed that she had struggled with suicidal thoughts while pregnant with her first child.

The couple got married in 2018 in a ceremony at Windsor Castle that was watched by millions around the world.

As a biracial woman and a former actress on TV series Suits, Meghan was seen by many as an outlier in the royal family, attracting both fans and intense media scrutiny from the moment their relationship went public.

Speaking to interviewer Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Prince Harry, whose mother Princess Diana was hounded by the British press and died in a car crash while being pursued by photographers, said he had worried about history repeating itself.

"I'm just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side, because I can't imagine what it must have been like for her [Diana], going through this process by herself all those years ago," Harry said.

"It's been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we had each other."

Prince Harry and Meghan have been married since 2018. (Reuters: Toby Melville)

During the Oprah Winfrey interview, Meghan also said an unnamed member of the family had asked how dark their son Archie’s skin might be. Heir-to-the-throne Prince William, Harry's elder brother, responded by denying that Britain’s royals were racist.

Prince Harry and Meghan's statement about stepping back in 2020 appeared to indicate they wanted to maintain a positive relationship with their royal relatives.

"We intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen", they said.

They moved across the Atlantic to a mansion in Southern California's Montecito and embarked on several media ventures, including multi-million dollar deals with Spotify for a podcast series and with Netflix for programming including a lifestyle show hosted by Meghan.

Thawing and reconciliation

In recent months, both Prince Harry and King Charles III seem to have expressed an interest in reconciliation.

In May 2025, Harry spoke to the BBC after losing a legal challenge over his security in the UK.

Immediately after the case ended, Harry said he would "love reconciliation with my family".

Prince Harry and Meghan attend the state funeral and burial of Queen Elizabeth with King Charles and Queen Camilla. (Reuters: Toby Melville/File)

"There's no point in continuing to fight anymore," he said. "Life is precious."

He said the dispute over his security had "always been the sticking point".

By contrast, Edward and Wallis Simpson never fully patched things up with the royal family. Though there were occasional interactions over the decades.

Edward returned to England to attend his brother King George VI's funeral in 1952. He made the trip again the following year for the funeral of his mother Queen Mary.

The couple also travelled to London for the dedication of a memorial plaque to Queen Mary in 1967.

Harry, on the other hand, appears to be charting a different path from his great-granduncle.

Prince William wants to shape the monarchy for a new generation but can this future king regain public trust in an ancient institution under fire?

The couple in recent days revealed plans to relocate back to the UK, with King Charles — who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer — being informed last Sunday, local time.

In September 2025, father and son met briefly in London for the first time in 20 months.

Harry and Meghan visited the UK last month, with Charles and Camilla hosting the family in a private meeting at their country retreat, Highgrove House.

It was the first time the king had seen his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, since 2022.

According to a source close to the Sussexes, Meghan will continue heading her As Ever company from the UK, while Harry can spend more time working with his UK-based charities.

A conspicuous silence, however, has remained from Prince William.

Once close, the brothers are still said to be barely on speaking terms.

ABC/wires

See more ABC coverage in your search results

Promotion

Practice Listening