Prince Harry Says Archie and Lilibet Are Loving British School After UK Return

Prince Harry says his children Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are loving school in Britain after the family moved back in late August.

Harry described the return in an interview with GQ magazine, as reported by Town & Country. He said the family came back for “opportunities for the family.” He called it great to be back.

Being able to enroll Archie and Lilibet in a British school has meant a lot to him. He said he did not know how important it was to him until it happened.

“They’re loving it,” he said of the children. The new school is giving them a whole different experience from what they knew in the United States.

Harry said he wants his children, at ages seven and five, to have a comparison and two completely different cultural experiences. He added that he was not criticizing American schools.

What makes this stand out for American readers is how directly Harry tied school to identity. He grew up in Britain. His children started school in the United States. Now they will know both systems.

The move itself was first reported in August, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle planned to relocate to Britain with Archie and Lilibet and start them in school there this fall, according to People. The family made the move on Aug. 26.

The start was not smooth. Archie and Lilibet switched schools just two days into the school year amid security and logistical concerns around their commute, according to People. Weeks later, Harry’s children were targeted by “certain European paparazzi” while at school in England, Reuters reported. The parents condemned what they called a reckless intrusion after a photographer was spotted near the school.

In the GQ interview, Harry said he moved home to be closer to his family. He said it has been nice to be near friends and family, with endless playdates with friends’ children to help Archie and Lilibet settle in.

He also spoke about his wider family. “Our attitude has changed” about the return, he said. He described reconciliation with his family as “the most important thing.”

That language is different from 2023. While promoting his memoir Spare, Harry told ABC’s Michael Strahan that accountability was needed before reconciliation. He did not detail in the new interview what changed or what reconciliation would involve.

Harry had previewed the move in September, saying his family returned for “lots of reasons,” the BBC reported.