A representative for Meghan Markle’s charity Smart Works says the organization is “very excited to welcome the Duchess and her family back to the UK.”
The statement, delivered to Hello! Magazine, comes as Markle, 43, and Prince Harry, 40, have reportedly relocated to England with their children Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, for what sources describe as an extended stay. Smart Works, which provides job-seeking women with interview coaching and professional clothing, remains one of four original patronages Markle retained after she and Harry stepped back as working royals in 2020 and moved to California.
Not all quarters of British society share Smart Works’ enthusiasm for the Sussexes’ return. Reports said that residents of the North Cotswolds, where the couple is said to be house hunting, greeted the news with caution rather than celebration. Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield characterized the local “chattering class” as “not overly excited” about their prospective new neighbors.
“The Cotswolds can be incredibly welcoming to high-profile people because there’s an unwritten agreement: ‘You don’t make a spectacle of yourself, and neither will we,'” Schofield explained.
The reported home search places the Sussexes in proximity to Prince William, 42, and Kate Middleton, 43, whose circle has made clear that geography will not repair the deep family rift. A friend of the Prince and Princess of Wales said that the Waleses’ posture remains unchanged regardless of where the Sussexes reside.
“It makes no difference if Harry and Meghan are in Oxfordshire, California or Timbuktu,” the friend said. “William and Catherine will continue their lives of public service. They intend to lead by example.”
The outlet had earlier reported that the Sussexes’ move back to England constituted a “huge slap in the face” to the future king and posed what sources called “serious risks for the monarchy.” The estrangement between the two couples has persisted since Harry’s public accusations against his family across multiple platforms, including the couple’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, their 2022 Netflix documentary series, and Harry’s 2023 memoir “Spare.”
In the Winfrey interview, Markle accused unnamed members of the royal family of raising concerns about how dark their unborn son’s skin might be. Harry subsequently detailed explosive private conversations and grievances in “Spare,” including physical altercations with his brother. The cumulative effect of these disclosures has left relations between the Sussexes and the Waleses seemingly frozen, with Friday reports indicating William and Middleton plan to ignore the returning couple entirely.
The Sussex family reportedly traveled privately from California, landing at Birmingham Airport around lunchtime on August 26. Their arrival marks the first time Markle has brought both children back to her husband’s home country for a sustained period since the family’s relocation to North America more than four years ago.
Smart Works’ warm statement stands in notable contrast to the cooler reception from other corners. Markle has maintained her connection to the charity throughout her absence from British public life, continuing to support its mission of helping unemployed women secure employment through skills training and wardrobe assistance. The organization was among the causes she championed most visibly during her brief tenure as a working royal, which began with her marriage to Harry in May 2018 and ended when the couple formally exited their senior roles in March 2020.
