Prince Harry won’t bring Meghan Markle back to the UK over his concerns for her safety

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are two of the most talked-about people in the world - something that has only increased since their 2020 departure from royal life and subsequent relocation to Montecito, California. The past four years have seen Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dominate the United States, and from their recent Invictus Games tour of Nigeria to the launch of Meghan Markle's American Riviera Orchard brand, the Duke and Duchess are more talked about than ever.

It was a potential return to the UK that got the Sussex family talking this week, with reports that Prince Harry was looking for a "permanent base" in London for when he is in the country. This prompted speculation that the royal couple were considering a return to the UK - something that Prince Harry shut down this week, explaining in an ITV interview why living in the UK was no longer an option for his family. His reasonings were safety-related, with both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle receiving numerous threats before their 2020 move, leaving the Duke of Sussex concerned for his wife's safety.

Prince Harry opened up to ITV's Rebecca Barry as part of new documentary, Tabloids on Trial, where he discussed his reluctance to return to the UK with his wife and children.

"It's still dangerous, and all it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read," Prince Harry explained in the sit-down interview. "Whether it's a knife or acid, whatever it is - and these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It's one of the reasons why I won't bring my wife back to this country."

Prince Harry also spoke about the British tabloids' constant coverage of his life and alleged "unlawful" ways of obtaining information, explaining why he is fighting to expose "illegal activities of the British tabloid newspapers.

"It is clear now to everybody that the risk of taking on the press and the risk of such retaliation from them by taking these claims forward, it's clearly not in my interest to do that," Prince Harry later stated in the documentary. "Look at what has happened in the last four years to me, my wife and my family. So that was a very hard decision for me to make, which is: how bad is it gonna get?

“I'm trying to get justice for everybody," he continued. "This is a David versus Goliath situation - the Davids are the claimants, and the Goliath is this vast media enterprise."

Tabloids on Trial is available to watch now on ITV.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.