Prince Harry Reveals Why He and Meghan Markle Moved Their Family From California to the U.K.: ‘I Didn’t Know How Important It Was’

Prince Harry is opening up about why he and Meghan Markle decided to leave California behind and relocate their family to the U.K., revealing that their children's education and his desire to reconnect with his roots played a major role in the decision.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who moved to the U.K. in August with their two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, have been settling into their new lives across the pond.

In an interview with GQ that was filmed in September but released only recently, Harry, 42, explained that the opportunity to enroll his children in British schools was particularly meaningful to him.

“Opportunities for the family, being able to put the kids in a British school has meant a lot to me. I didn’t know how important it was to me,” he said.

“I always thought it was going to be something that I would try to do or that we would try to do, but now they’ve been in school for two weeks. They’re loving it, and it’s just giving them a whole different experience.”

Harry emphasized that his decision was not a criticism of the U.S. education system, but rather an opportunity for Archie and Lilibet to experience life in two different countries.

“I’m not criticizing American schools, but I think for kids at 7 and 5 to be able to have that comparison and to have two completely different cultural experiences is so important today,” he explained.

Beyond their education, Harry said returning to Britain has allowed his children to spend more time with relatives and develop closer relationships with family friends.

Another motivation for the move, he explained, was to “be back closer to my family and to be back on U.K. soil for longer than a few days or a week here or there.

“It’s been nice to be close to friends, family, friends and friends and their children as well, to be able to have endless playdates to really, like, help our kids settle in," he said.

Despite the significance of the relocation, Harry admitted that he and Meghan, 45, had not necessarily mapped out the move years in advance.

“For us, when certain stars align, and it’s clear that this should or probably will end up being the case, then we lean into that,” he said.

After spending six years living in California, he said he increasingly wanted his children to become familiar with the country where he spent his own childhood.

“Having been here for six years now and only being able to go back to the U.K. for short periods of time, to actually have my whole family there with me, the place that I grew up, wanting to be able to show my kids where I grew up and have them have the experiences to some extent that I had—the good rather than necessarily the bad—provided real, proper, serious thinking as to, ‘This is an opportunity, let’s do it now,’” he said.

Harry also addressed his complicated history with the British press, expressing hope that his family's return could mark the beginning of a more positive chapter.

“Once you’ve been through it, once you’ve been able to talk about it and raise awareness to it, then people see it for what it is, which makes the environment slightly easier,” he said.

“And it’s not going to necessarily stop the behavior, but then that’s the second part, which is the behavior: My hope is that it will change.”

The duke acknowledged that tensions have persisted in the years since he and Meghan stepped back from their roles as senior working royals, but suggested he would welcome an opportunity to move forward.

“What happened back then was then, what’s happened over the last six years has been a continuation of that. There are some battles that have been fought, necessarily so. But hopefully we can all draw a line under that,” he said.

He added that he hopes both his family and the British media can put certain disputes behind them.

“I am optimistic. I’m hopeful,” Harry said. “I’m not naive. I have been naive in the past. But I think it’s important to remain optimistic.”

The interview surfaced just days after Harry and Meghan made their first official joint appearance in the U.K. since their relocation.

On Oct. 15, the couple traveled to Nottingham, England, where they greeted approximately 100 people during a public engagement.

The pair also spent time interacting with local schoolchildren, crouching down to speak with them. Meghan was presented with flowers and a balloon during the visit.

"It's great to be back," she told one person.

The warm welcome was filled with several special moments, including one that saw the crowd shouting, "I love you Duchess Meghan."

The appearance marked their return to a city that played an important role in their early relationship, having served as the location of their first official joint engagement following their November 2017 engagement announcement.

Their outing came days after it was reported that they were turning their attention to their professional and charitable commitments after spending their first several weeks in Britain adjusting to their new surroundings.

Their latest chapter comes more than six years after the couple stepped away from their roles as working members of the royal family and established a new life in North America.

The visit came as an insider close to the couple told People that Harry and Meghan are eager to devote more attention to their philanthropic endeavors, having initially concentrated on helping their children adapt to living in a new country.

Their transition has not been without complications.

According to the outlet, Archie and Lilibet were forced to change schools just two days into the academic year due to security and logistical concerns surrounding their commute.

However, the children have reportedly adapted to their new environment, allowing their parents to devote additional time to commitments outside the family home.

A source told People that Harry and Meghan have established a schedule centered around their children's school hours, while continuing to prioritize spending time together as a family.

The couple's apparent enthusiasm for their latest chapter comes shortly after Harry reflected on the difficulties he experienced when he and Meghan first left Britain.

The Duke of Sussex previously revealed that he experienced depression for approximately two weeks after moving to Canada with Meghan and Archie.

Harry and Meghan spent time in Canada before announcing in January 2020 that they intended to step away from their senior royal responsibilities.

They eventually relocated to California, where they purchased a sprawling Montecito mansion for $14.65 million in 2020.

The property became the family's primary residence as they established lives outside the monarchy, with Meghan pursuing business ventures and Harry continuing his charitable work.

However, their decision to return to Britain has brought another significant change to their living arrangements.

Although Harry and Meghan have returned to the U.K., they have reportedly decided to retain their Montecito mansion rather than sever their residential ties to California.

In the meantime, the family has reportedly been staying at a friend's mansion in the Cotswolds while exploring their options.

Markle is said to be hoping to re-create the lavish lifestyle the couple enjoyed in California, with their potential new property mirroring their sprawling Montecito mansion in more ways than one.

The duchess reportedly wants the U.K. residence to boast nine bedrooms—the same number as their California estate—as well as plenty of luxurious amenities.