Prince Harry Says Children's British School and Family Drove UK Move

Prince Harry has said he moved his family back to the UK for "opportunities", and mainly so his children could attend a British school. He made the remarks in a face-to-face interview with Zach Baron of GQ, a men's magazine, filmed in New York and released on Tuesday 20 October 2026.

Asked why he had moved back, Harry gave one word first: "Opportunities." He said the move was for the family as a whole, particularly so that his children could go to school in Britain. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet had been at their British school for about two weeks when the interview was recorded.

The Sussex family had lived in Montecito, California, since 2020 before returning. Harry said the decision took very little planning, although he described moves of this kind as normally needing a great deal. He said he wanted to be closer to family, and to be on UK soil for longer than a few days or a week. He did not say which relatives he meant.

The interview also turned to his relationship with his brother. Harry said "Some people don't want it to work out" when discussing reuniting with his family, a line many readers took as an apparent swipe at Prince William. A spokesperson for the Sussex household said the comment was "absolutely not intended as a swipe at his brother or any other member of his family." Harry told GQ that he had not spoken to Prince William for four years. The BBC reported that he said he wants to "reconcile" with his family.

Harry has not met his father, King Charles, in person since returning to the UK in August. The two have spoken on the phone.

Harry's official Duke of Sussex Facebook page also posted about the interview. The post said that he and Meghan's attitude toward living in the UK has changed.

The conversation is part of GQ's weekly interview series "One More Question". In this episode, GQ describes Harry as a self-described student of grief. He talks about learning from loss and about growing up in public. The Los Angeles Times reported on 20 October that Harry said the return was to be closer to his family, months after he and Meghan left Montecito.

Harry's explanation rests on a short list of reasons: schooling, opportunity and family. The interview is his most detailed public account so far of why the family came home.