6 Royals Who Wont Be Thrilled With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK Return

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly heading back to the UK, six years after stepping down as working royals and moving to California. While King Charles appears to be more open to rebuilding his relationship with his youngest son, the same cannot be said for everyone in the royal family. After years of public criticism, Harry's memoir Spare and the Oprah interview, the Sussexes' return could reopen some old wounds.

Harry's relationship with Queen Camilla has been complicated for years. In Spare, Harry shared how he saw Camilla as an "evil stepmother." Interestingly, Camilla was also the only other royal Charles reportedly told about his secret July reunion with Harry, Markle, and their children. According to royal correspondent Katie Nicholl in Vanity Fair, Camilla "dropped everything" and went to support Charles at Highgrove, as she feared Charles would end up making promises he would later regret.

Prince William is perhaps the most obvious royal who may struggle with the Sussexes' return. His relationship with Harry has been badly damaged by years of public revelations, and Spare only made things worse by detailing private arguments between the brothers. The latest reports also claim William and Princess Kate were "blindsided" by Harry and Markle's decision to return, reportedly learning about it only through the media. For William, having Harry living permanently or semi-permanently in Britain could mean the family tensions are no longer thousands of miles away in California.

Kate's relationship with Markle has also been at the centre of the Sussex story. Harry's memoir revisited the tensions between the two couples, including the infamous disagreement between Markle and Kate over bridesmaid dresses ahead of the 2018 wedding. The Sussexes have also accused Kate of bullying Markle, and with their return, old stories could easily come back into the spotlight.

Next in the list is Princess Anne, who is known for her famously straightforward approach to royal duty. She has spent decades quietly carrying out engagements, building the very reputation of the monarchy that was tarnished by Harry and Markle's many revelations. While the Sussexes are not returning as working royals, their presence could present a fresh headache for the Firm as it finds its footing after the Andrew-Epstein saga.

Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie may also have mixed feelings about the Sussexes coming home. The couple has seen their roles grow as senior working royals, particularly after the departures of Harry and Markle. As their return could once again shift public attention from the Firm's work, it is likely the Edinburghs won't be too thrilled.