Harry calls UK return "great" as Sussexes settle into Cotswolds life and await security decision

The Duke of Sussex has said he is delighted to be living in Britain again, describing his return after six years in California as "great" and saying it has been "great to be back on British soil". The remark, made during an interview with Canadian broadcaster CTV, is the most direct public confirmation yet from the Duke that the family has established itself back across the Atlantic.

Harry spoke to CTV newsroom while in Toronto, where he took part in a charity skydive. The jump was undertaken to honour a promise he had made to a 102-year-old Second World War veteran, and to raise awareness of charities supporting military personnel and veterans. The appearance illustrates what has become a defining feature of his public life since leaving royal duties: engagements tied to wounded servicepeople rather than ceremonial royal events.

Asked what had prompted the family's move back to the UK, the Duke said there were "lots of reasons" but declined to elaborate. The non-answer is likely to fuel continued speculation about the Sussexes' long-term plans, with commentators and tabloids offering varying theories about whether their priority is charitable work, a return to public life, or something else entirely. The Duke pointed instead to practical and personal benefits, noting that his children are settled in their school and that being in Britain gives him scope to concentrate on the Invictus Games.

The Invictus Games, which the Duke founded for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans, are due to take place in Birmingham from 10 to 17 July next year. Around 550 competitors from 25 nations are expected to take part across 12 adaptive sports. Holding the event in the UK for the first time since the pandemic-era games, and doing so in the city where the Duke has been carrying out preparatory engagements, would place him at the centre of a major international sporting occasion for the first time since leaving the monarchy's working role.

The timing of his return is significant. He and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped back as senior working royals and began a new life in the United States in 2020, relocating with their young family to California. The couple returned to live in Britain last month, and it is thought the family are now based at a private property outside London, in the Cotswolds area. Living arrangements have attracted sustained interest, with reporting and commentary focusing on the possibility of a more settled rural life for the couple and their children.

The move has not been entirely smooth for the children. Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, were transferred to a different school only days after starting at their new establishment, reportedly because of security concerns relating to the school run. The Sussexes' private security team raised specific worries about the distance involved and heavy traffic on the route, underlining how much planning surrounds the family's daily movements now that they are permanent UK residents rather than occasional visitors.

Meghan has kept a markedly lower profile. The Duchess has largely stayed out of the public eye since returning, making few public appearances, although she shared a glimpse of family life in England on Instagram, showing the couple walking with their children. That posting drew wide interest, and has been followed by a separate strand of coverage about the Duchess, including comments from the stars of the Netflix series The Gentlemen, who said they would "be the last to know" about reports concerning her.

The wider picture for the couple remains unsettled. Their return has been marked by tensions with the Royal Family, and they were reportedly surprised by a letter authorised by the King which reiterated that they are private citizens and set out guidance to senior government and military figures on how they should be treated. The intervention was read as an assertion of the family's status at the heart of royal life, and it landed on a relationship with the Prince of Wales that has been strained since the Sussexes gave up their roles as senior royals and moved to the US.

Meanwhile, a practical question with significant financial implications is still open. The Sussexes are waiting to hear whether they will receive taxpayer-funded security in the UK. Ravec, the committee which oversees royal and VIP security, is set to reconsider the family's level of police protection now that they are full-time residents rather than visitors. The decision will determine how much of the cost of protecting the Duke, the Duchess and their children falls on the public purse, and is expected to be closely watched by those who have argued about the scale of security support provided to working royals.

For the Duke, the immediate priority appears to be the Games. In addition to his Canadian commitments, he has carried out several public engagements linked to Invictus work in the UK. Last week he visited a school in Birmingham to launch an education programme inspired by the games, where he played pickleball with pupils and joined a science lesson on prosthetic design — an apparent nod to the adaptive technology central to the sports his foundation promotes.

Taken together, the interview offers a picture of a family in transition. The Sussexes are back on British soil, the children are in school, and the Duke has a substantial personal project to focus on next summer. What remains open is whether that focus translates into a settled domestic routine, a resumption of a wider public role, or a deliberate middle path between the two — with the Ravec decision and the terms of the King's letter both likely to shape how the next chapter unfolds.